ABSTRACT
The movement attracts a variety of people, from radicals who want sweeping changes of the political system to people with more moderate views who are content to work within the system to change it. The movement includes large national organizations devoted to peace action, although its greatest strength lies in the energy of the many activists who work within small local groups to plan and carry out projects of peaceful change. This chapter introduces some of the general issues of collective action which bear on the participation and persistence of activists. The development and maintenance of a peace activist's commitment needs to be placed in the context of what is known about collective action and participation in social movements. In the case of peace action, wars can mobilize thousands of people in a short time, expanding the rolls of existing peace groups or producing new ones as individuals seek an outlet for their ideas, anger, and fears.
