Blog # 5 - "The Democratic Process"

Saul D. Alinsky

(July 14, 1939 - June 12, 1972)

 

Saul D. Alinsky was a community activist who was interested in social justice for Americans. Alinsky attended the University of Chicago and obtained a Ph.D. in Criminology. This documentary highlights the importance of his contribution to society, how his theories and principles influenced others, and to learn how important it is to believe that we can change anything that is not being done correctly for the better of our communities. Alinsky championed new ways of organizing the poor and believed that social justice could be achieved through American democracy. He was always criticized but also admired by others.



During the Great Depression Alinsky believed that real education was the one from the streets. Al Capone's gang was a way for him to study criminal behavior. Alinsky concluded that poverty caused criminal activity because there wasnt any jobs available for people to survive.

Alinsky influenced the struggle for Civil rights movement (equal rights) and the farmworkers movements (labor). The Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council showed the way to organize communities. He also stated that the first rule of change is controversy, because change means movement, and movement means friction, friction means heat and this leads to controversy, which led to growing civil rights movement in the South.



In 1959, Alinsky met with ministers to start the T.W.O. (The Woodlawn Organization). This organization empowered residents and their communities.

Unfortunately, Saul D. Alinsky died June 12, 1972 of a heart attack. He did not get a chance to organize the middle class community like he wanted to.

This video was such an interesting video. I never heard of Saul Alinsky before and thanks to this assignment I was able to learn how important it is to fight for what you want and to make your voice be heard. Alinsky was a great activist and showed us social workers the importance of helping others and to never surrender, to always keep going and find a solution to everything.

This video emphasized and showed important ways of intervention at the macro level of practice and important ways of implementing strategies of community organization. As mentioned before, the farmworkers movement (labor) and the struggles with civil rights movements were some of the issues dealt with.

Sources:

Hercules, B., & Orestein, B. (Producer). (1999). The Democratic Promise: Saul Alinsky and his legacy [Online video]. Retrieved March 1, 2012.