Political shifts don't "occur", people make them happen.
Well, obviously. Nothing really happens without people causing it. But a lot of political shifts are gradual, large processes that can't be attributed to one individual or even a single group.
Take gay marriage, for example. There has been no lightning-rod event, nor one particularly vocal advocate group for it. But over time, we see that opinions about gay marriage are shifting. While people did "make it happen", it's more of a broader consensus occurring.
But the shift on gay marriage has gained ground far more quickly than I recall anyone predicting. Even fifteen years ago, I doubt that most people (on any side of the issue) would have guessed we'd be remotely as far along as we are today. As far as I can tell, that progress has been largely the result of a small but significant number of gay people choosing to be much more outspoken than the previous norm and to actively make the case for equal rights (rather than just waiting for generational change).
Well, obviously. Nothing really happens without people causing it. But a lot of political shifts are gradual, large processes that can't be attributed to one individual or even a single group.
Take gay marriage, for example. There has been no lightning-rod event, nor one particularly vocal advocate group for it. But over time, we see that opinions about gay marriage are shifting. While people did "make it happen", it's more of a broader consensus occurring.