Bringing Down a Dictator

Respond to Bringing Down a Dictator (if you missed class, it looks like there is a version of the filmonline).  Talk about a) your personal response to the film, b) talk about one element from the CANVAS manual that you saw in practice in the film, and c) what you are going to take from the film for your movements and other work.

I thought the film was really interesting and it was cool to see a student action that ended up being so successful that was also so recently. It really motivates and inspires me to get back into action. Practically all the CANVAS steps were in the film –undoubtedly because Srdja Popovic/OTPOR produced it following the success of their resistance movement. The movement’s vision of the future was very intentional and specific: a Serbia where people had the right to voice, health, and a government they wanted. This vision was detailed enough to garner support enough to create the change; the participation in a fair election producing a president who represented the people. Popovic proposed the idea that power does not exist monolithically but that there are six sources of power: authority, human resources, skills and knowledge, material resources, intangible values and sanctions.