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It think you've actually hit the nail on the head here. What we need is some leaders.

Can you name one leader in the Arab Spring movements? Turkey protests? etc. Modern ways of communication take away the need of a leader we can inform ourselves and join an upcoming movement. What we need is a way to coordinate and get enough like minded people thats enough.



Did those uprisings have similarities in that, without leaders they typically move into a bloodshed phase? If leadership could avoid this, it might be a better route

Not saying presence or absence of leadership is the cause, but don't assume because of no leadership it is the best way.


Leaders or not, the bloodshed phase depends on whether either side is willing to take "no" for an answer.


During the violent height of "Arab Spring" revolts, I did see distinct interviews with leaders thereof operating in small rooms coordinating enough like minded people to succeed. Names, of course, were not given; in a time of point-and-click military firepower, leaders function on a need-to-know basis.

A decade or so back (forgetting the country at the moment) there was a high-profile spontaneous uprising which overthrew the government. A key moment during the 3-day rally/occupation involved a bulldozer (someone jog my memory). The whole thing seemed as you describe, modern communication having taken away the need of a leader with the participants informing themselves and coordinating spontaneously. Except...it wasn't. It was the result of an passionate 10-year plan by one person to choreograph the whole thing, right down to persuading a group of police to resist protestors for a given period then "spontaneously" change loyalties, along with timing of aforementioned bulldozer bashing down doors.

Leaders may not stand out at the front of their troops, guiding them into battle. Leaders may (especially today) hide in anonymous rooms, remotely directing agitators to persuade mob dynamics a la psychological warfare. That you can't name one leader therein doesn't mean there aren't any nor have plans been in the making for years.


We don't want or need violent uprisings. We need nonviolent nonparticipation and civil disobedience a-la Gandhi and King.




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