Social movement is the expression of civil society organization, formed by collective actions where individuals aim to achieve social change through political debate within a given context in society.
This type of expression is characteristic of a plural society, as it acts collectively to represent a resistance movement that fights for different forms of social inclusion.
Groups such as popular movements, unions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are examples of collective forms of organization of social movements.
The active groups within a social movement are always looking for the political representation of these forms of social exclusion and their actions always aim to produce direct or indirect pressure on the State.
Characteristics of the social movement
For the formation of the social movement, these groups organize themselves according to a project is ideology in common, covering all the proposals and objectives relevant to the movement.
Within them, a hierarchy, which can have a structure that allows for several leaderships.
And in this way, various forms of collective action are used, such as denunciation, marches, strikes, marches, among others.
In these actions, the groups present the demands that a particular social class faces in order to boost the social mobilization and raise awareness in the awareness of other individuals in society for their causes.
The social movement, when well articulated, is capable of changing the structure of the state power system and for this reason, the relationships of social movements and their leaders are always in conflict with the state.
See also the meaning of Ideology and Hierarchy.
Social Movements in Brazil
The social movements in Brazil had greater prominence from the 60's, when a great part of the movements of that time were against the military regime.
The most prominent collective actions are the Landless Workers Movement (MST), the Homeless Workers Movement (MSTS), in addition to movements in defense of indigenous peoples, blacks and women.
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in movements in support of LGBT causes and Brazilian environmental defenses.
Social support issues also had a significant increase, such as demonstrations demanding increases in the bus fare and the free pass.
See more about the free pass and examples of social movements.
Types of social movements
Social movements can be classified into:
- Claiming Movements, where their actions focus on immediate issue requirements. This type of movement uses public pressure to pressure institutions that can modify legal provisions that may favor the situation;
- political movements, where they seek to influence the population in direct political participation as a guarantee for structural changes in society;
- class moves, which seek to subvert the social order and alter the relationships between different factors in the national situation.
