Campaigning works – here’s why

After recent campaigning success stories, Maddy Fry discusses the merits of social activism

''This year, both McDonald’s and KFC responded to Greenpeace campaigns.'' ''The Arms Trade Treaty that we had been campaigning for has finally received overwhelming support at the UN.'' ''Campaigning works best when people are unified on a wide scale, in terms of their demands, and the actions they are taking.''

Before I start on the virtues of social activism, it’s probably wise to admit that it’s easier to list times where campaigning has not worked.

Detractors of us whining pansies - also known as social activists – are quick to cite things like the CND’s long-running, and so far futile, campaign to get the government to abolish its nuclear weapons programme. They might ask questions such as: What about 2003’s Stop the War coalition? Did all those mass marches prevent the government from attacking Iraq? It also can’t be denied that, compared to the campaign’s high ideals, the achievements of Make Poverty History were pitiful – poverty was not made history.

Although it’s true that campaigns for social justice don’t always achieve their objectives, I would argue that campaigning is never pointless. It doesn’t always have to start a revolution or bring a corrupt government to its knees.

Greenpeace is one of the most effective NGOs in terms of getting results from its campaigns. This is mainly due to its strategy of mixing mass letter-writing and boycotts with high-profile stunts. For example, this year, both McDonald’s and KFC responded to Greenpeace campaigns, and agreed to take steps to stop cutting down the rainforest to grow soya for their cattle.

This year we have also seen that campaigns co-ordinated on a worldwide scale can have astonishing results. Supporters of the Control Arms campaign were informed, less than a month ago, of a campaigning success. The Arms Trade Treaty that we had been campaigning for has finally received overwhelming support at the UN - with 139 out of 164 governments voting in favour of the resolution.

If real work begins on this Treaty, then it will make a huge difference to the thousands of people who suffer from armed violence every year, particularly in the developing world. There is no way that this could have been achieved without the mass action of Control Arms campaigners.

To my mind, history seems to show that campaigning works best when people are unified on a wide scale, in terms of their demands, and the actions they are taking. Unity is the key to success.

This is a problem with the Global Call to Action Against Poverty campaign. After so little having been achieved in 2005, GCAP has become fragmented. For example: America’s One campaign is still going, whilst Make Poverty History has ended; and whilst Oxfam is urging its supporters to keep wearing their white bands, charities such as CAFOD have asked for the bands to be sent back to Tony Blair.

Like anything, campaigning has both successes and failures, but no action is pointless. Just remember - if it manages to change the life of one individual, then it is worthwhile.