Giugni, Marco. "Was It Worth the Effort? The Outcomes and Consequences of Social Movements". Annual Review of Sociology, Vol.24 (1998): 371-393.

Giugni, Marco. "Was It Worth the Effort? The Outcomes and Consequences of Social Movements". Annual Review of Sociology, Vol.24 (1998): 371-393.

• Popular movement can be argued to have been instrumental in many political changes, from the mass demonstrations which ended Soviet hegemony in Eurasia to environmentalist action preventing certain pollution. This article seeks to establish the conditions under which they make a difference (372-373).
• Research into the factors which most strongly affect the success or failure of social movements as usually existed as part of two paths of inquiry. Either these observe how the strength of intra-movement organization affects results, or examine whether violent or destructive protests are more affective than peaceful movements (374).
• Overall, increased organization appears to improve chances of success. A source mine of materials on the effects of social movement organization on the success of that movement is available from page 374 to page 376.
• The use of violence by protest movements seems to increase their chances of success under certain conditions. A source mine of research on the effect relationship between violence and political outcomes is available from page 376 to page 379.
• Research in contemporary period [?following the end of the Cold War?] has been more focused on environmental effects related to the outcomes of social movements, rather than how the behavior of movements effects their outcome (379).
• Social movements seek to persuade the government and the general population simultaneously -- so that the state will give in to their demands, and so that the public will sympathize with their cause. Governments are also concerned about public opinion, making it an important variable in the success of social movements (379).
• Dr. Goldstone looks at the importance of the larger political process to the success of social movements, claiming that the current composition of the state is critical to the success of social movements, as weakness or the presence of allied groups within government are important to triggering the conditions to movements to succeed (380-382).
• A source mine of even more sources of the factors for the success of social movements, just in general, in available from page 382 to page 387.
• A picture showing an ideal scope of study of social movements is provided on page 388. It shows that research should exist at the intersection of movement claims, the effects of that social movements, and the effect of exogenous environmental conditions on the outcome.