> Sure, but translating that movement to actual policy change usually depends on how much uninvolved people are sympathetic to the protestors
No, that's the exception rather than the rule. That's a convenient thing to teach to the general public and that's why people like MLK Jr. and Gandhi are being celebrated, but most movement that make actual policy changes do so while disregarding bystanders entirely (or even actively hurting bystanders. That's why terrorism, very unfortunately, is effective in practice).
> which usually involves how rational the protestors are precieved as
I'm afraid most people don't really care about how rational anyone is perceived at. Trump wouldn't have been elected twice if that was the case.
> Decision makers are affected by public sentiment, but public sentiment of the uninvolved public generally carries more weight.
They only care about the sentiment of the people that can cause them nuisance. A big crowd of passively annoyed people will have much less bargaining power than a mob of angry male teenagers doxxing and mailing death threats: see the gaming industry.
> I disagree with this. Rational arguments behind closed doors happen before resorting to protest not after.
Bold claim that contradicts the entire history of social conflicts…
No, that's the exception rather than the rule. That's a convenient thing to teach to the general public and that's why people like MLK Jr. and Gandhi are being celebrated, but most movement that make actual policy changes do so while disregarding bystanders entirely (or even actively hurting bystanders. That's why terrorism, very unfortunately, is effective in practice).
> which usually involves how rational the protestors are precieved as
I'm afraid most people don't really care about how rational anyone is perceived at. Trump wouldn't have been elected twice if that was the case.
> Decision makers are affected by public sentiment, but public sentiment of the uninvolved public generally carries more weight.
They only care about the sentiment of the people that can cause them nuisance. A big crowd of passively annoyed people will have much less bargaining power than a mob of angry male teenagers doxxing and mailing death threats: see the gaming industry.
> I disagree with this. Rational arguments behind closed doors happen before resorting to protest not after.
Bold claim that contradicts the entire history of social conflicts…