The Disappointments of Three Progressive Movements: Occupy Wall Street, #MeToo, and Black Lives Matter

Progressive movements like Occupy Wall Street, #MeToo, and Black Lives Matter have made significant strides in raising awareness about economic, gender, and racial inequality in America. However, despite their impact, these movements have not achieved their ambitious goals of creating a fairer society.

A new book by popular Substack newsletter writer Fredrik deBoer, titled “How Elites Ate the Social Justice Movement,” delves into the reasons behind the shortcomings of these movements. DeBoer argues that these movements focused more on changing elite segments of society, such as academia, Hollywood, and the media, rather than passing new laws and improving the lives of the majority of Americans.

Unlike successful movements like the civil rights movement and the gay rights movement, which combined radical aims with strategic decision-making and collaboration, recent progressive movements lacked structure and concrete goals. Occupy celebrated its lack of structure, #MeToo never fully organized, and Black Lives Matter refused to name leaders.

These movements also allowed unpopular positions to shape their public image, which weakened their effectiveness. For example, while most Black Americans support major changes to policing, Black Lives Matter’s focus on cutting police funding alienated some supporters.

Instead of creating mass organizations with long-term plans, recent progressive movements have focused on changing elite institutions and symbolic gestures that have little impact on most people’s lives. DeBoer argues that these movements have been dominated by the college-educated elite, prioritizing the immaterial and symbolic over the material and concrete.

Overall, the central argument of deBoer’s book highlights the importance of practicality, resilience, and a clear plan in achieving social justice goals. Calling out injustice is not enough; meaningful change requires strategic decision-making, collaboration, and a focus on improving the lives of all Americans.