After the Democratic Convention in August, 2008, the Boston Globe received a letter from David Alinsky, praising the Democratic nominee for President, Barack Obama. David’s father was Saul Alinsky, Marxist and author of Rules for Radicals. Barack taught ‘Rules for Radicals’ in Chicago, based on Alinsky’s book. David’s letter indicated that his father would be proud of this protg, Barack.
So what is Rules for Radicals? it is a book written by Saul Alinsky, a self-proclaimed rebel who didn’t believe in organized sit-ins or protests through violence when promoting a cause, such as higher pay, unsafe working conditions or discrimination. Alinsky, who grew up during the 1920′s and 1930′s, saw discrimination and poor living conditions among minorities in the ghetto’s of Chicago during the depression. He initially attended college to be a social worker and criminologist, but that turned to a more active part in helping others less fortunate.. although his rules are part of a methodology, his political beliefs drove the agenda behind these rules and eventually the role of the Community Organizer, better know and referred to as the ‘radical’. hence the name, Rules for Radicals.
Alinsky thought that today’s radical should wear a tie, not a bandanna and carry a suitcase, not a bomb. He felt that the old days of sit ins, violence and blowing up buildings didn’t work because the other side has the guns. Besides, it’s not a good way to influence the general public. So, therefore, change, Alinsky’s favorite word, has to come from within an organization.
The Rules for Radicals was a book written by Alinsky, in the 1980′s to teach Community Organizers how to organize people within a group, pick out leaders, manipulate, lie, cheat and do whatever means is needed to obtain a goal. The goals could be higher wages, better living conditions or the organization of a union. He founded an organization called the Industrial Areas Foundation or the IAF, which taught his rules.
Today, his IAF rules have progressed to more sophisticated ways of governing groups to move forward to a goal, and can be referred to as Leadership classes rather than radical rules.
