Social Movements and Successful Leadership, Essay Example

Reformists have been existing in the human society ever since the beginning of the 19^th century. The emergence of this idealism has created a massive change on how humans intended to improve a definite implication on how the people are to be lead into living a new life, a new beginning that would provide a new perspective to the condition of improvement that the people need to embrace. Noticeably, it could be understood that social movements have been designed to create a definite impact on the way the world advances along with the people and their lifestyle as well. Practically, people have become more convinced that the need for change is a necessary movement; one that would manage a definite impact on how life itself would turn around especially for the condition of living that would be open for the new generation to come along.

Among the most famous reformists of all time include groups and individuals who were determined enough to make a change and make a definite impact on how history itself would develop. Among the individuals include Cesar Estrada Chavez and another is the group of the Freedom Riders. These groups and individual reformists provided a new pattern of living in the modern society especially for the sake of embracing a new form of realization. Nevertheless, it is the pattern of leadership that they took into account that best defined the condition of effect that they have on the society, on the people and on the ways by which they affect the being of the whole community as it progresses into modern living. In this particular point of discussion, a comparison between the leadership approaches of Cesar Chavez and that of the Freedom Riders shall be given particular attention to.

Freedom Riders were known as one of the most important reformists in history. Noted as one of the strongest civil rights activists in 1961, the Freedom Riders were noted for riding across states in order to promote particular idealisms specifically dedicated to the determined indication of social freedom which is directed to the recognition of civil rights sections that are distinctively able to make a change on how the oppressed ones are recognized in the society. The year 1961 promised a new beginning to interstate America especially in consideration with the process by which racial segregation in restaurants and public waiting areas for interstate busses. The group basically challenged the status quo of the White Americans versus other races including the black Americans. The leadership of the Freedom Riders promoted social movements that included everyone in the community. The way they challenged the status quo included a sense of social involvement; one that would specifically make a mark on how the community advances as well.

On the other hand, Cesar Estrada Chavez is one who championed a more subtle course of development of social reformation. Noticeably, being an American farmer, he knows how it is to be in the labor systems and what it takes to be in the industry. He has also seen the ins and outs of the situations of his co-laborers, and somehow, he has realized how his co-farmers need as much help from a leader who would serve as their voice. This is why Cesar Estrada Chavez and Dolores Huerta established the National Farm Workers Association which gave power to the farmers [who were supposedly oppressed in nature] in order for them to be able to give a definite insistence on how they are to be treated especially by their handlers. Giving them a better chance to improve their life-status especially that of the recognizable value of being human and not just as workers of the farms; this is what the United Farm Workers is about.

The Salad Bowl Strike in particular is what induced the establishment of higher wages for farm workers who are working for grape and lettuce workers in the field. To be able to make the changes work, the strike intended to go for fasting; aiming to create personal and spiritual transformation among the participants in the boycott activity. Through this pattern of leadership, the group was able to establish a particular passage in the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act which resulted to the bargaining of rights to farm workers and their handlers.

Seemingly, the leadership patterns adapted by the Freedom Riders and that of Cesar Chavez’s approach were somewhat different in form. Freedom Riders were more focused on driving the community into distinct involvement in the movements; meanwhile, Chavez was more concentrated on promoting less-violent approaches, hoping to make a definite impact on how the people viewed the situation, therefore moving them to become more effective especially in becoming involved in the situation which promotes a much stronger movement that would entail a much better sense of transformation.

What was basically remarkable about the leadership of both Chavez and the Freedom Riders was the fact that they knew how to lead based on the hope of being able to serve others. It was rather evident how Chavez himself did not ‘lord’ over those who willingly followed him; instead he made it a point to let them know that he is supporting them and that he is trying to give them the necessary power they need in order for their calls to be heard; noticeably, such effort did not go unnoticed. Such point of leadership was indeed remarkable in nature. In the same manner, the motivation that the followers of Freedom Riders got from the campaign they were imposing for social notification was brought about by their willingness to serve the needs of the greater few; they basically wanted to be the epitome of hope for those who were being oppressed during their time. In a way, these leaders intended to treat themselves as part of the group and not as anyone who has the authority over others. This could be related to the written work of Robert Greenleaf as he mentions about a leader:

There he discovers that Leo, whom he had known first as servant, was in fact the titular head of the Order, its guiding spirit, a great and noble leader.

True, as noted from this passage, real leaders are the ones who do not lord over others, but the ones who fashion themselves as followers in order for others to follow their examples fully. From this point, it could be noticed that social transformation is an important aspect of community development that needs to be fully given attention to; relatively, Chavez and the Freedom Riders were able to establish such form of transformation. Noticeably, it could be understood that their point of leadership is somewhat effective especially in making a definite indication on how the society accepts the challenge of new implicative changes; one that would establish a better foundation for the community not only during the actual process of transformation but also towards the consideration on the future generations to come. These points of leadership all created a massive impact on how the society embraces a new sense of indicative improvement that enhances the emergence of developed understanding of social growth.