The Good Economist June 2016 | Page 2

More Than Just One Delivers The Social Promise

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Imagine for a moment the crusaders behind every great leap of social change. There is a good chance that a stalwart in our nation’s history, someone whose legacy is well cemented, will enter into your thoughts.

Take the Civil Rights Movement. Who is the first person to come to mind? Who is the second or third? Perhaps, your mind drifted to thoughts of Dr. King offering a resounding sermon, or it was Malcolm X offering a searing critique of institutionalized power imbalances. Maybe, you even pictured Rosa Parks expressing confident defiance of Jim Crow. The contributions of these leaders are unquestioned. However, it is incumbent upon us not to forget that the success of social causes are ultimately dependent not on any one great leader, but on a critical mass of ordinary people carrying out extraordinary acts.

Beneath the surface of any social cause lies a host of invaluable contributions made by individuals whose names live in relative obscurity. Fannie Lou Hamer is an example of such an unsung hero. Hamer’s speech at the 1964 Democratic Party Convention resulted in two members of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party being seated in the Mississippi delegation. Courageous acts by ordinary people fueled the Movement’s long march towards social progress.

What was needed then remains just as necessary now; it is shared responsibility pointed towards common purpose. Everyone is called upon to be a force for positive change. Our cause for shared prosperity must be fueled through the collective strength of our community. For no individual alone has ever fulfilled the promise of any cause.

And similarly, no one act has proven the snearer of dreams. It is the harmonization of meaningful action, with what is meaningful being unique to the individual. Some will be moved to visit with legislators to share the importance of localist values. Others will be inspired to adopt business practices that address individualized community needs. Examples of this include allowing payment arrangements for needy patrons as well as providing skill development to local youth through job experience. The action’s form is of little consequence because the outcome is always the same: a steady push towards the vision of an economy built upon the pillars of environmental responsibility and social equity.

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From the SBN Policy Desk: