ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the ramifications of the ratepayer unrest for the debate over the emergence of mass insurgency described at the outset. In arguing the role of the I-394 campaign in the formation of unstable social conditions leading to the ratepayer unrest, this analysis points to the significance of the conflict setting for understanding the dynamics of mass insurgency. As with the ratepayers’ coalition, solidary incentives proved inadequate for sustaining organizational discipline, and in the absence of measurable gains, the demands of symbolic protest exhausted the enthusiasm for continued protest. Yet the deeper significance of I-394’s passage lies with the mass arousal that grew from the extraordinary emotional intensity of the campaign and which directly contributed to the social conditions underlying the ratepayer unrest. This intensity was fueled by campaign dynamics focused by the procedural structure of the initiative process and revolving around the use of symbolic appeals for redefining issues in the competition for dominance of the public agenda.
