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You're More Powerful than You Think: A Citizen’s Guide to Making Change Happen Hardcover – March 28, 2017

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 168 ratings

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Is this the America you want? If not, here's how to claim the power to change your country.

We are in an age of epic political turbulence in America. Old hierarchies and institutions are collapsing. From the election of Donald Trump to the upending of the major political parties to the spread of grassroots movements like Black Lives Matter and $15 Now, people across the country and across the political spectrum are reclaiming power.

Are you ready for this age of bottom-up citizen power? Do you understand what power truly is, how it flows, who has it, and how you can claim and exercise it?

Eric Liu, who has spent a career practicing and teaching civic power, lays out the answers in this incisive, inspiring, and provocative book. Using examples from the left and the right, past and present, he reveals the core laws of power. He shows that all of us can generate power-and then, step by step, he shows us how. The strategies of reform and revolution he lays out will help every reader make sense of our world today. If you want to be more than a spectator in this new era, you need to read this book.

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Editorial Reviews

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"Eric Liu has written a primer on power that is a call to active citizenship. His energy and optimism are infectious, just as his vision of power is contagious. Anyone who wants to make change, large or small, should absorb the message and master the strategies in these pages."―Anne-Marie Slaughter, President and CEO, New America

"There is no more pressing time than now to understand your own power and use it, and there is no better guide to doing so than Eric Liu. This book is a way of living, individually and collectively, in a changing America."―
Jose Antonio Vargas, Founder and CEO, Define American

"At one point, Eric Liu writes 'power is a gift.' Well, this book is also a gift-especially for all those who want to understand the complex role power plays in our society, and their power to change it. By weaving together comprehensive analysis, compelling stories, and change-making strategies, Liu has created an essential guide for citizens seeking to understand and exercise their own power to make the world a better place."―
Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation

"
You're More Powerful Than You Think lays out a clear, practical model for organizing that will be hugely valuable to a new generation of social and political activists--at a moment when the nation badly needs them."―E.J. Dionne, author of Why the Right Went Wrong: Conservatism - From Goldwater to Trump and Beyond

"Those who want a more sustainable and just future often feel powerless against big corporations and the 1 percent. After reading Eric Liu's book, I see we do have power; we just need to better understand and leverage it. Read this book and let's get to work!"―
Annie Leonard, Executive Director, Greenpeace USA

"An important and needed update of the rules of community organizing in the Internet Age. But unlike Saul Alinsky's 'Rules for Radicals,' there is nothing cynical or manipulative in Eric Liu's vision. We may disagree on many policy specifics, but we agree that dispersed citizen power is the new normal, and that 'many smalls can surpass a few bigs.' This hopeful and essential book shows us how to take responsibility for our democracy."―
Matt Kibbe, Founder, Free the People

"Eric Liu's new book is profound and elegant, wise and accessible. Right alongside his diagnosis of the problems are thoughtful, energizing solutions. Be prepared to understand your own political agency in a whole new light."―
Ai-jen Poo, Director of National Domestic Workers Alliance, Co-Director of Caring Across Generations

"Many of us want to make change but don't know where to start. Eric's wide-ranging career proves he is a doer - and with this thoughtful, forthright, provocative work, he empowers us to be the same."―
Brittany N. Packnett, Activist and Co-Founder of Campaign Zero

"This is a smart, insightful book about one of the most timely topics of our times: How to create change. With practical examples and keen analysis, Eric Liu offers sure strategies on how you can maximize your power, organize communities, reframe the narrative and change your world."―
Lynn Povich, author of The Good Girls Revolt: How the Women of Newsweek Sued Their Bosses and Changed the Workplace

About the Author

Eric Liu is the founder and CEO of Citizen University (citizenuniversity.us) and executive director of the Aspen Institute Citizenship and American Identity Program. He is the author of several books, including A Chinaman's Chance, The Gardens of Democracy, and The Accidental Asian. Eric served as a White House speechwriter and policy adviser for President Bill Clinton. He is a regular columnist for CNN.com and a correspondent for TheAtlantic.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ PublicAffairs; 1st edition (March 28, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 161039707X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1610397070
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.75 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 168 ratings

About the author

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Eric Liu
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Eric Liu is the co-founder and CEO of Citizen University. He also directs the Aspen Institute’s Citizenship & American Identity Program. He is the author of several books, including The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker; The Gardens of Democracy (co-authored with Nick Hanauer); You’re More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen’s Guide to Making Change Happen; and his most recent, Become America: Civic Sermons on Love, Responsibility, and Democracy. Eric served as a White House speechwriter for President Bill Clinton and later as the President’s deputy domestic policy adviser. He has served as a board member of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Washington State Board of Education, and the Seattle Public Library and is a co-founder of the Alliance for Gun Responsibility. A regular contributor to the Atlantic, Eric can be found on Twitter @ericpliu.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
168 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book insightful, inspiring, and informative. They also say it's well-written and a brilliant analysis of politics today. Readers appreciate the author's reading.

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6 customers mention "Insight"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful, inspiring, and motivating. They say it provides a brilliant analysis of politics today and a guide for exercising good citizenship.

"...This book is source of inspiration and a valuable tool." Read more

"A brilliant analysis of politics today and guide for exercising good citizenship. Learn to wield power for positive change." Read more

"...It gets a little cheesy for me but overall it's insightful and makes me want to participate in civic actions." Read more

"A bit slow at times, but a lot of good info." Read more

3 customers mention "Word quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written and informative. They also say it's read by the author.

"...The book is well organized and well written...." Read more

"This book is worded very well and can bring out a lot of inspiration...." Read more

"Great! Read by the author and very informative, especially the last CD. I will listen again." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2017
This is a wonderful book that coincides perfectly with the spirit of our time. For those who yearn to be more active and engaged citizens, this is the book for you. Liu starts off by describing how power actually works and sets for three laws of power. He then describes how citizen activists can use those rules to effect change. Of particular interest to me was the idea of changing the narrative about an issue. Activists can change public opinion by reframing how an issue is thought of or discussed. For example, is health care coverage just a service that as a consumer, you have if you can afford it, and don't have if you can't, or is it a right, such as free public education through high school? This book is source of inspiration and a valuable tool.
2 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2017
The problem, as the author explains, is that "the Federalist authors ...did not foresee how much a mass society - mass capitalism, mass government, mass elections - would make citizens believe themselves to be small and insignificant: unworthy of responsibility....We haven't truly enabled all the people of this society to participate in self-government to the fullest extent of their potential.....[O]ur job now is to challenge unearned privilege, to break apart monopolies, to deconcentrate power, to make the little citizen bigger, and to fithe the feeling of helplessness that gives rise to authoritarianism."
Eric Liu gives readers credible encouragement and an action plan, with nine different ways to help us create a safer, more efficient and inclusive society. "Change the game: Adjust the arena. Re-rig the rules. Attack the plan. Change the story: Describe the alternative. Organize in narratives. Make your fight a fable. Change the equation: Act exponentially. Act reciprocally. Perform your power.”
An example of changing the equation: “the Family Independence Initiative, which helps lift people out of poverty by giving “ families baseline funds - up to $200 for reporting small steps taken to reduce debt or get education or the like - and requires them to meet as a group at least monthly.” …Trusting the network to support each other…”
An example of changing the story is Bill McKibben's divestment campaign where young people challenge the visible authority of colleges, philanthropies and banks, calling on them to end their investment in fossil fuels.
Liu also describes how we can change the equation, by helping citizens become part of teams, practicing compassion, inclusiveness, resourcefulness and cooperation.
If you are ready to stop staring into the headlights, this is a book that will help you and your community mobilize for a better tomorrow.
7 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2017
The author has fulfilled his objectives for this book admirably, but I am taking off one star for what he didn't address and would have been useful to include.
This book is about organizing and maneuvering for social-political change. It starts with a introduction to political theory and an overview of the forms of power. Then it presents 9 strategies for gaining power and prevailing on contested matters, with multiple examples of apparently successful applications of each strategy. The book is well organized and well written. The author forthrightly indicates his liberal leanings, but he cites some applications of the strategies by conservative causes.
My disappointment with the book is this:The author claims that political polarization in the country is the highest since the Civil War, and he worries about that, as do I, but then he advocates confrontational strategies with no discussion about how to use them without inflaming further polarization. Perhaps that is being saved for another book by this thoughtful author. If so, it will be worth reading.
17 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2020
This book is an excellent starting point for anyone who wants to democratize power and resources, but who doesn't see a clear path towards that goal. Since reading it, I've noticed the vast array of opportunities I've been overlooking to empower others to spread positive change at all levels.

For longer than I care to admit, I had failed to appreciate other people's potential to contribute towards cultural change of their own volition, but now I realize that it's fine that I can't handle all the details myself, because I don't need to. I can focus on doing my part to identify solutions and people will step up to join in once they know how the solution works and see its effects.

That's not the only concept Liu talks about, though. He showcases examples of how to apply education, cunning, and responsibility. If you want to democratize power and inspire change, you're virtually guaranteed to learn something valuable from this book.
3 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2022
A brilliant analysis of politics today and guide for exercising good citizenship. Learn to wield power for positive change.
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2022
This book has me FIRED UP. I finally feel like someone gave an inspired voice to truths I’ve always deeply known but haven’t been able to articulate. So many stories of people who are doing amazing work in this world, plus a framework on how we all as citizens can understand power. Highly recommended!
4 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2022
No footnotes. Propagandizes American history. Clearly written to promote his company.
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2020
This book is worded very well and can bring out a lot of inspiration. It gets a little cheesy for me but overall it's insightful and makes me want to participate in civic actions.