In this guide, we explain why it is important to develop a campaign strategy. We show how it helps you to make more impact.

In The Art of War, Chinese philosopher and military strategist Sun Tzu (544 BC - 496 BC) makes a timeless observation of the importance of a skilful application of both strategy and tactics:

"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat."

Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Trans. Samuel B. Griffith (London: Oxford University Press, 1963).

Too many activists and community organisers put all their energy into tactics: organising events, activities and protests often without articulating their vision, without a concrete sense of what their campaign goals are, and lacking a clear plan of how to achieve these goals. Sun Tzu called this the ‘noise before defeat’; all sound and fury but with little result.

On the other hand, when faced with a clear injustice and power holders unwilling to budge, a great strategy without the grassroots engaging in demonstrations, strikes, blockades and other forms of tactical application of nonviolent action, makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to make progress towards achieving your goals. As Frederick Douglass, the African American abolitionist activist said in 1849:

If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favour freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without ploughing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters... Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.

"Planning without action is futile. Action without planning is fatal."

The Center for Victims of Torture, New Tactics in Human Rights Project, accessed 28 August, 2014 http://www.newtactics.org

Strategic community action is not magic. It requires organised, nonviolent, and sustained collective action that targets the roots of the opponent’s power. Like violence, nonviolent struggle sometimes succeeds and sometimes fails. Historically most nonviolent movements have been spontaneous.

Given this, and the fact that many nonviolent movements have operated in situations of ruthless repression, it is amazing that the record of success for nonviolent movements in the 20th century is so impressive. A strategy will increase the likelihood of success. Developing a strategy will enable your movement to seize and keep the initiative, enhance your movement’s ability to see opportunities, use your people’s strengths and resources to your best advantage, and minimise your weaknesses.

The authors of this manual believe that in order to develop winning strategies for social and environmental justice, it is important to understand the different elements of strategy and how these fit together. The way we use key strategy terms is defined below in the handout on elements of strategy.

Campaign-based strategy #

This guide focuses on campaigns and the skills needed to develop and build successful campaigns. We like to think of campaigns as the winning steps to realising collective visions for environmental and social justice. When we use the word ‘campaign’ we mean a series of sequenced tactical manoeuvres applied over time designed to achieve a specific objective. This replication of tactics and campaigns in other contexts helps build the movement and win broader movement goals. Powerful campaigns are also proactive. In other words, they don’t just protest an injustice. They seize the initiative and redefine the agenda for change. Campaigns also bring in new energy and help form new allies. Often, building and mobilising a broad base of support is essential to winning a campaign. Through training, we can support community members to develop and fine-tune their own campaign strategy.

Attribution #

The following resources were reused on this page:

• People Power Manual, Campaign Strategy by The Change Agency (2020) - Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike License