Difference between revisions of "Stages of change"

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Any desired social or political change must go through several stages before becoming the new status quo. These stages are often lumped together under the heading "how", but the answer to the question "how can we do this" is substantially different depending on which stage(s) one is asking about.
 
Any desired social or political change must go through several stages before becoming the new status quo. These stages are often lumped together under the heading "how", but the answer to the question "how can we do this" is substantially different depending on which stage(s) one is asking about.
  
# '''conception''': someone conceives of a goal they find desirable
+
# '''logistics''': there is a plan which could accomplish the goal(s), if implemented
# '''logistics''': someone conceives of a plan for achieving that goal, given access to the necessary resources
+
# '''implementation''':
# '''consensus''': there is consensus among those affected (e.g. the governed) that the plan is a good one
+
#* '''resources''': the necessary resources (e.g. political support) are available
# '''provisioning''': those who would implement the plan obtain the resources to do so
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#* '''approval''': the necessary resources are approved by their gatekeepers (e.g. Congress passes a bill)
#: ...either by convincing those in power to implement it, or by a change in regime, or by some intermediate method (e.g. electing people who favor the plan, or gathering resources by some other means)
+
#* '''action''': the plan is set in motion (e.g. funds go to appropriate organizations)
# '''implementation''': the plan is implemented
+
# '''survival''': the plan survives attempts to subvert or reverse it
# '''survival''': the plan must survive attempts to subvert it
 
  
 +
(An earlier, longer version of this list is [[/v1|here]].)
 +
 +
For change which requires popular support rather than centralized implementation, "adoption" might be a better descriptor for Step 2.
 +
 +
This may be related to the {{l/wp|theory of change}}, "a specific type of methodology for planning, participation, and evaluation that is used in the philanthropy, not-for-profit and government sectors to promote social change."
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 +
==Fallacies==
 +
Much confusion arises from failure to distinguish between these phases. Proposals intended to address one phase are often criticized for their failure to address another, without any acknowledgement that these are different problems. Logistical stage proposals, for example, will often be criticized for lack of provisioning.
 +
 +
Proposals involving allocation of [[resource]]s are particularly subject to this kind of {{l/ip|conflation}}. For example, a proposal regarding how resources ''should be'' distributed (''conception'' or ''logistics'' stage) will be criticized for wanting to "take" or "steal" resources from their current owners -- when in fact the proposal says nothing about the mechanisms whereby such redistribution might take place (provisioning). The provisioning stage might be, for example:
 +
* creating a [[microsociety]] in which the proposed rules would be applied and therefore involving only voluntary redistribution
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* changing the incentive structure of the existing economy so as to encourage voluntary redistribution along the lines proposed
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
* [[wikipedia:Colour revolution]]: successful nonviolent resistance movements
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===Discussion===
 +
* '''2013-03-27''' [https://plus.google.com/u/0/102282887764745350285/posts/WKXdZvoY3wq Google+]: open proposal of this breakdown
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===Related===
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* [[wikipedia:Social change]]
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* [http://www.theoryofchange.org/ Theory Of Change]
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** [http://www.theoryofchange.org/about/how-does-theory-of-change-work/toc-process/example/ How Does Theory of Change Work?]

Latest revision as of 15:42, 23 May 2015

About

Any desired social or political change must go through several stages before becoming the new status quo. These stages are often lumped together under the heading "how", but the answer to the question "how can we do this" is substantially different depending on which stage(s) one is asking about.

  1. logistics: there is a plan which could accomplish the goal(s), if implemented
  2. implementation:
    • resources: the necessary resources (e.g. political support) are available
    • approval: the necessary resources are approved by their gatekeepers (e.g. Congress passes a bill)
    • action: the plan is set in motion (e.g. funds go to appropriate organizations)
  3. survival: the plan survives attempts to subvert or reverse it

(An earlier, longer version of this list is here.)

For change which requires popular support rather than centralized implementation, "adoption" might be a better descriptor for Step 2.

This may be related to the theory of change, "a specific type of methodology for planning, participation, and evaluation that is used in the philanthropy, not-for-profit and government sectors to promote social change."

Fallacies

Much confusion arises from failure to distinguish between these phases. Proposals intended to address one phase are often criticized for their failure to address another, without any acknowledgement that these are different problems. Logistical stage proposals, for example, will often be criticized for lack of provisioning.

Proposals involving allocation of resources are particularly subject to this kind of conflation. For example, a proposal regarding how resources should be distributed (conception or logistics stage) will be criticized for wanting to "take" or "steal" resources from their current owners -- when in fact the proposal says nothing about the mechanisms whereby such redistribution might take place (provisioning). The provisioning stage might be, for example:

  • creating a microsociety in which the proposed rules would be applied and therefore involving only voluntary redistribution
  • changing the incentive structure of the existing economy so as to encourage voluntary redistribution along the lines proposed

Links

Discussion

  • 2013-03-27 Google+: open proposal of this breakdown

Related