Movements that Win - Patterns of Resistance, Ecologies of Struggle

An inspiring collection of stories about brave people who organize, fight back, and prevail against corporate greed and government injustice, to learn from the tactics of how they won. Includes illustrations and graphics. As the world slides further toward authoritarianism and the prospects for advancing social justice through electoral democracy narrow, the power of communities to prevail against strongman politics and corporate domination becomes increasingly crucial. In Building on the analysis presented in his two-volume set, Along the way, McBay provides boots-on-the-ground insights into the key factors that inspire people to join local movements, how to persevere during backlash and repression, and how to build momentum through small victories.

List of contents

Introduction
Shut Down Canada
Canada: Shut Down
“Claim No Easy Victories”
Graves and Statues
Revolution of the Heart
Why Study Victories?
Why these Stories?
Patterns of Resistance, Ecologies of Struggle
A Gentle Warning
My Hopes
Stories in this Book

One: The Green Bans
Background
The Green Bans Multiply
Why the Builders Labourers’ Federation?
Repression
The Legacy
How to Build a Strong Alliance
Black Bans and International Solidarity
Sidebar: Green Bans and Green Parties

Two: Parcel C
The Campaign and Coalition
The Referendum
After the Referendum
Victory and Aftermath
Movement-Building and Intersectionality
Chronology of Parcel C

Three: 504 Disability Sit-ins
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Sit-Ins
A Powerful Full-Spectrum Coalition
Logistics and Communication
Organization and Decision-Making
Further Escalation
What Next?
Victory Factors

Four: Brent Spar
Background
The Seizing of the Spar
The Boycott
The Strike Force
Why They Won

Five: Spies for Peace & the Committee of 100
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Committee of 100
The Bunker Heist
Victories and Legacy
Comparing Capacities

Six: Wyhl Reactor Site Occupation
The Occupation
Victory Factors and the Aftermath

Seven: Standing Strong gainst Nuclear Waste
Nuclear Weapons on Indigenous Land
Uranium Power Grows
The South Australia Nuclear Waste Dump
Victory
Sidebar: Hotelling’s Law
Sidebar: 1984 Day of Action for a Nuclear-Free Australia

Eight: Umbergaon Port
The Megaport
Why They Won

Nine: Phantom Victories, Pipelines, and Gas Plants
Line 9
Energy East
Line 9 and Energy East
Doug Ford’s Gas Plants

Ten: The Richmond Dump
Getting Organized
Escalation
The Mohawks and the Quarry
Victory Factors
Movement Capacities
Chronology of Events

Eleven: Anti-Walmart Site Fights & Alt-Union Campaign
The Site Fights
Community Impacts
How Did They Win?
The Legacy of Site Fights
The Alt-Union Struggle Begins
OUR Walmart
Union Wins in Chile
The Foothold and the Beachhead

Conclusion: Patterns of Resistance
1) A Tangible Common Goal
2) Positive Vision
3) Urgency
4) A Common Enemy
5) Initiative & Escalation
6) Disruption & Direct Action
7) A Common Tactic & Collective Action
8) Diversity of Tactics & Radical Flanking
9) Coalitions across Difference
10) Movement Capacity
11) Participatory Decision-Making and Democracy
12) Persistence & Endurance
The End of the Beginning
Discussion Questions
Further Victories
Endnotes
Index
About the Author

About the author

ARIC MCBAY is a community organizer, organic farmer, and author of eight books, including the speculative fiction novels Kraken Calling and Inversion. His book Full Spectrum Resistance is a two-volume guide to building more effective movements. He writes and speaks on numerous social justice issues and has organized successful campaigns around fossil-fuel pipelines, Indigenous solidarity, unionization, prisoner justice, and other causes. He is also an award-winning digital game developer. You can find his work at www.aricmcbay.org.

Product details

• Authors: Aric McBay
• Publisher: Seven stories press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 02.12.2025
• EAN: 9781644215081
• ISBN: 978-1-64421-508-1
• No. of pages: 256
• Subject: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous