Rules for Radicals (Paperback)

~ Saul Alinsky (Author) "WHAT FOLLOWS IS for those who want to change the world from what it is to what they believe it should be..." (more)
Key Phrases: proxy tactic, tactic proxy, creative fishing, New York, Eastman Kodak, The Purpose (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Alinsky is that rarity in American life, a superlative organizer, strategist, and tactician who is also a social philosopher.”
—Charles E. Silberman

“He cannot be bought; he cannot be intimidated; and he breaks all the rules.”
—The Economist (London)

“I consider him to be one of the few really great men of our century.”
—Jacques Maritain

Product Description

This primers tells the "have-nots" how they can organize to achieve real political power for the practice of true democracy.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (October 23, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679721134
• ISBN-13: 978-0679721130
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (108 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #429 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #1 in	Books > Nonfiction > Government > Civics
  #1 in	Books > Nonfiction > Politics > Ideologies > Radical Thought
  #1 in	Books > Nonfiction > Current Events > Civil Rights & Liberties

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

240 of 272 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Vastly over rated, April 25, 2009

By	Arthur F. McVarish (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

As a VISTA "organizer" in Columbus, Ohio(1969-197):CMACAO)I heard the name of Alinsky quoted like biblical scripture. I read excerpts from his writing and suffered through several seminars led by his disciples from Chicago. As I explained to one(garbed in a suit with short hair-cut in contrast to pseudos garbed in hippie gear and "hair down to there")I disagreed with many of the implications of his mentor because they seemed to be based on ENVY,INDOLENCE and IGNORANCE of the organizees and that the stirring of conflict for its own sake was counterproductive and created new dependence and an ensconced Underclass.
The man asked me what I did in VISTA (at my idealistic age of 21)and I told him I taught GED classes for adults and moved a lot of donated furniture to the apartments of poor folks.He stated that what I did was "practical" and not really the Alinsky thing.
After VISTA I spent three years in the Army(USAREUR/NATO duty).It was non-combat, showing the flag as a trip wire threat to the now defunct USSR. But it put the Vista time in perspective. Most of my buddies in Vista were pseudo hippies and draft dodgers (my room mate had spent 4 years in the Air Force as a Russian language translator). Half my Army buddies had served in Vietnam. The point is that Alinsky was a "guru" for middle class ingrates with pretensions to "playing" revolutionary. (Mark Rudd;Bernadette Dohrn etc). And they had a field day encouraging students at OSU to walk-out of class during the disruption of campuses in the spring of 1970.It was a Felini movie. Alinsky's book as the script.It was a game.RULES FOR RADICALS was his money-making,"rock-star" text(sucked-up by college kids with names like Obama and Clinton).
The most important/impotent chapter in the opus is "Tactics" (pp. 126-164). At he center of this chapter are the 13 rules on how to raise hell by creating guilt. He left-out the 14th. "Organizer potential "organizees"usually have one set set of "values"incommon~ENVY;IGNORANCE; & INDOLENCE(or you can plant them in varying degrees!).This unwritten rule for targets turn the struggling person into the malcontent that the organization(say, ACORN)can use and abuse for their own glory and self-apotheosis: HENCE President Barack Obama,"the dream of his father Saul.D. Alinsky." Read this mess and laugh/weep at a con artist at his best.

225 of 255 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Welcome to the Spoiled Brat Revolution, January 26, 2009

By	Philly Phool - See all my reviews

That's right, Mr. Alinsky has perfected the art of stomping your feet until you get your way. At least that appears to be his method. It explains a lot of the 'spoiled brat' revolutions we see today. I am not saying that there are not any causes without substance. Just a lot that seem to follow the same recipe. You know, the victim mentality that surrounds us continuously and the idea that the rest of us are somehow complicit in someone else's woes.

Enough of that. There are two chapters that comprise the meat of this book: 'In the Beginning' and 'Tactics'. The chapter on 'Communications' is somewhat worthy as well. The rest is just a semantic argument that justifies the authors excesses. We ponder important questions like 'Does the end justify the means'? Could you believe: of course it does if your the one involved in the means! There is even a chapter on disseminating the meaning of certain words like 'power', 'compromise', and 'conflict'. He even quotes Nietzsche and his 'Tartuffery of words'. Talk about semantics!

But all is not lost. The book is actually quite informative and fun to read. You might even fancy yourself standing up to authority and saying 'No Mr. Mayor, We're not going to take it anymore'. And rules! Yes there are rules! Like my favorite: 'making the enemy live up to their own rules'. That one never gets tiring and is the source of endless amusement for those of us 'in the know'. In fact his list of rules is one of the most useful parts of the book. And knowing them can help those having to deal with people like Mr. Alinsky.

The bottom line is that the authors methods can be very useful although there is no guarantee that someone using them will do so for the common good. At one point as I read the book I saw myself rating it a 1 star and then at another, a 5 star. I settled on a compromise at 3 stars. Mr. Alinsky would be proud. Welcome to the revolution!

201 of 235 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What you are is what you were, May 24, 2009

By	Charles M. Dean Jr. "pakrat" (Woodstock, Ga.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It's well known that Obama's early years were seriously affected by his association with Bill Ayres and the teachings of Saul Alinsky which seem to be codified and laid out in "Rules for Radicals."

As an elderly citizen who is very interested in politics and extremely concerned about our country's direction I'm reading Rules for Radicals.
Watching Obama's run for election, his rhetoric and every one of his moves it is frightening to see how much Alinsky's words are like a playbook for every thing Obama has done and said.

I wish more Americans would read it if they could and understand it if they could but our present day under-educated government population couldn't handle it!

Very sincerely,
Charles M. Dean
Woodstock, Ga.