The Anatomy Of An Effective Movement, Part 2

Character Assassination

This is part 2 of a series examining the success of Russian lawyer and corruption-free system advocate/activist Aleksei Navalny.  I believe his success presages ours because he is using the exact same approach we are in bringing down corruption in Russia.  This series analyzes his approach as a case study from which we can gain confidence in our own approach.

Copiosis is the only movement I’m aware of that is implementing a real-world transition plan (not just talking about it or hoping for one) that will ultimately lead to real freedom for everyone. In case you’re not sure what that means, here’s how we define it:

I’ve also said our approach is based on tried-and-true transformation methods others have successfully used in all sectors of society, primarily in private-sector competitive markets.  Aspects of our approach are evident in Navalny’s story.  I summarize them this way:

  • Spend a while to become the 20-year overnight success.
  • Use that time to understand the problem from a unique, powerful perspective.
  • Get specific with accusations.
  • Push an activist’s model others can emulate and that unifies and involves people.
  • Use the “Inclusion is the best defense against tyranny; they can’t arrest us all” strategy.
  • Be likable, seen as genuinely of the people and interested in their welfare.
  • Use the non-traditional media as your base of operations.
  • Let time and the system work in your favor.

In part one we looked at the first factor.  Now let’s look at the second.

Get a unique powerful perspective on the problem

Navalny looked at his comrades’ complaints about Russian corruption and realized what they needed were specific cases that could be supported with indisputable evidence.  He couldn’t get that information easily unless he were a stockholder in the firms where corruption took place.  So he bought enough shares to become a stockholder.

Those shares allowed access to financial statements and other information that gave him what he needed.  Publishing his findings on his blog, his work proved effective, as Vox describes it:

His allegations proved explosive. There was a general awareness in Russia that corruption was pervasive in Russian business, but uncovering or prosecuting the specifics of those dealings was seen as a perilous activity. Navalny’s blog turned that perception on its head.  His work replaced general presumptions of corruption with specific, outrageous accusations.  His documentation of graft and theft made the officials involved appear clumsy and foolish, not intimidating.

We’re doing something similar with Copiosis, only we’re just starting.  Our unique and powerful perspective is creating the mechanism which allows actual demonstrations of how a moneyless economy can work, then spreading it gradually across the world, starting in the U.S.

This approach creates direct-engagement opportunities, where people can use our innovation in their lives real-time and experience how the system can work.  No other innovation at this time is allowing individuals practical opportunities such as this.  Instead, most of them offer thought experiments.

Thought experiments are important and are what got me thinking, then taking action.  The next step—unique to Copiosis, in my opinion—is to reach people for whom direct engagement can galvanize their participation and support.  And it is our strength.

Through our demonstration projects we not only are allowing direct engagement, we are creating pockets of the new economy in the midst of the old.  No need for violent revolution.  No need for grand political achievements.  No need to persuade those who oppose us—our results will do that.

Thanks to our brilliant team members, who are every week coming up with new and creative ways to move Copiosis forward, we are creating perspectives that birth new and more powerful creative perspectives.  In doing that, we create opportunity. In doing that we achieve progress.

Next up, getting specific.

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