Here are 10 insidious quotes by Frances Fox Piven. Disrupt and overwhelm. Create chaos. This is what she thinks will create real change in our society. Victimization and oppression. Protests and manipulated anarchy in the streets.
- “Democracy is not about making compromises to appease the powerful, but about using power to challenge them and transform society.”
- “Protest works by provoking the powerful to overreact. By doing so, they expose their own weakness and vulnerability.”
- “The power of the poor and oppressed lies in their ability to disrupt business as usual.”
- “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”
- “The role of social movements is to make the impossible possible, to break the logjam of what is deemed feasible by the powers that be.”
- “The goal of social movements is not just to win specific reforms, but to challenge the legitimacy of the existing order and create a new society based on justice and equality.”
- “When people are angry and frustrated, it is not enough to tell them to be patient and wait for change. Change only comes through struggle.”
- “Social movements are the school of democracy. They teach people to become active, engaged citizens and to use their power to create change.”
- “The only way to create real change is to challenge the structures of power that create inequality and injustice.”
- “The most important role of intellectuals is not to provide answers, but to help people ask the right questions.”
What Frances Fox Piven Believes
According to Piven, government power is the ability of the government to control the behavior of individuals and groups in society. This control can be achieved through various means, such as laws, regulations, policies, and social norms.
Piven’s definition of government power emphasizes the role of the state in shaping and influencing social and economic outcomes. She argues that government power is not simply a matter of having the ability to enforce laws and regulations but also involves the power to shape public opinion, allocate resources, and influence social norms.
One of Piven’s key insights is the idea that government power is not a static or fixed concept but is constantly being contested and negotiated by different social groups. For example, social movements and interest groups can challenge the government’s power by demanding changes to existing policies or advocating for new ones. This dynamic view of government power highlights the importance of understanding the political and social context in which power is exercised.
Piven also argues that government power is not evenly distributed throughout society but is often concentrated in the hands of a few individuals or groups. This concentration of power can lead to inequalities and injustices, as those with power are able to use it to their advantage while others are left marginalized.
Piven’s view on social power is the ability of a group or individual to achieve their desired outcomes despite resistance from others. Power is not a fixed entity but a dynamic process that is constantly shifting and contested.
Piven’s definition of power emphasizes the importance of agency and conflict in the exercise of power. In her view, power is not simply a matter of possessing resources or institutional authority, but rather the ability to mobilize collective action and challenge existing power structures. This can take many forms, such as protests, strikes, boycotts, or other forms of direct action.
Piven also emphasizes the role of power in shaping social and political relationships. Power is not just about individual actors, but also about the broader systems and structures that shape society. This means that power is not just exercised by those in positions of formal authority, but also by informal networks, cultural norms, and social institutions.