grassroots movement
Bottom-up political organizing
A grassroots movement is political or social activism that originates from ordinary people rather than established leaders or institutions.
The metaphor suggests growth from the ground up—local communities organizing around shared concerns before spreading outward: The campaign started as a grassroots movement in small towns.
Grassroots movements emphasize volunteer participation and community organizing over top-down direction.
- advocacyPleading for a cause
- solidarityUnity among allies
- protestPublic expression of disapproval
- civil rightsGuaranteed individual legal protections
- empowermentGaining authority or confidence
town halls · conservation · coalition building · resistance · sit in · folklore revival · lobbying · netroots · astroturf · indigenous rights · civic education · community organizing · ground game · boots on the ground · door to door · public forums · campaigns · volunteer networks
- social movementswomen's liberation, abolition, feminism, disability rights, LGBT rights
- advocacy groupsadvocacy group, lobbying groups, lobby group, NAACP, lobby groups
- civic actioncivic engagement, community organizing, volunteering, petition drive, voter turnout
- Intifadastone throwing, Gaza Strip, West Bank, Israeli occupation, PLO
- backlashbacklash, blowback, outcry, outrage, pushback
- reformreform party, reformer, reformist, social reform, political reform
grassroots movementcorporate lobbying
Business efforts swaying lawmakers
party machine · government program · executive order · boardroom politics · backroom deal
grassroots movementestablishment
Founded organization or venue
the powers that be · ruling class · old guard · political machine · status quo
grass, roots, movement, grassy, grasses, movements, grassed, grassroots, grassing