#AP Comparative Government: Social Movements & Interest Groups - Night Before Review 🚀

Hey! Let's get you prepped for the exam. This guide is designed to be super clear, engaging, and most importantly, helpful for your last-minute review. We'll break down social movements and interest groups, connect them to the course countries, and make sure you're feeling confident. Let's dive in!

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Social Movements vs. Interest Groups

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• Scope: Social movements aim for wide-ranging change; interest groups target specific policies.
• Organization: Social movements are often loosely structured; interest groups are formally organized.
• Membership: Social movements are open to anyone; interest groups often have membership requirements (like dues).

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Social Movements in Action: Course Country Examples

Let's look at how social movements have shaped our course countries. Remember, these examples are key for the exam! 💡

#Iran 🇮🇷: The Green Movement

• Context: 2009 presidential election corruption.
• Goals: Transparent, fair elections.
• Tactics: Protests, legal challenges, the "Green Path of Hope" coalition.
• Outcome: Limited success; government response was largely dismissive.

#Mexico 🇲🇽: The Zapatistas

• Context: Socioeconomic inequality and NAFTA's impact on indigenous people.
• Goals: Work, land, housing, food, health, education, independence, liberty, democracy, justice, and peace for indigenous people.
• Tactics: Uprisings and advocacy.
• Outcome: Indigenous Rights Bill of 2001 (preferential resource use, cultural rights, and the ability to elect officials based on customs).

Caption: The Zapatistas movement in Mexico advocated for indigenous rights.

#Nigeria 🇳🇬: Multiple Movements

• MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta):
  • Context: Unequal distribution of oil wealth in the Niger Delta.
  • Goals: Greater share of oil wealth, improved social and economic conditions.
  • Tactics: Attacks on the oil industry (some groups), cease-fires (others).
  • Outcome: Disorganized, splintered, making negotiation difficult.
• MOSOP (Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People):
  • Context: Social, economic, and environmental injustice in the Niger Delta.
  • Goals: Justice and environmental protection.
  • Tactics: Non-violent protests, international advocacy.
  • Outcome: Increased international awareness of the issues.
• Boko Haram:
  • Context: Desire to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.
  • Goals: Creation of an independent Islamic state.
  • Tactics: Violent attacks, kidnappings, bombings.
  • Outcome: Government military response, ongoing human rights concerns.

#Russia 🇷🇺: LGBTQ+ Rights Protests

• Context: State Duma's legislation against same-sex couples (2013).
• Goals: Social acceptance and legal rights for same-sex couples.
• Tactics: Domestic protests.
• Outcome: Limited success; government has not changed policies.

#UK 🇬🇧: Environmental Movement

• Context: Growing concern about air and water pollution.
• Goals: Adoption of comprehensive environmental policies.
• Tactics: Protests and advocacy.
• Outcome: Increased awareness and government action.

#China 🇨🇳: Suppressed Movements

• May Fourth Movement (1919):
  • Context: Opposition to foreign influence and government dealings.
  • Goals: National sovereignty and modernization.
  • Outcome: Significant moment in modern Chinese history.
• Uighur Rights Movement:
  • Context: Human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslim minority.
  • Goals: Raise awareness of human rights abuses.
  • Outcome: Rapid suppression by the government.

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• Definition: Social and political movements that start with ordinary people at the local level. 🌎
• Characteristics: Decentralized, rely on the activity of ordinary people.
• Progression: Often move from local to regional, national, or international levels.

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Pros and Cons of Social Movements

#Pros: 💪

• Difficult to Suppress: Lack of clear leadership and structure makes it hard for governments to target. 🤫
• Anonymity: Offers a level of protection for participants.

#Cons: 😔

• Lack of Unified Voice: Difficult to negotiate with governments due to the absence of a clear leader.
• Internal Divisions: Can lead to splintering and make it hard to achieve goals (like MEND in Nigeria).

#Final Exam Focus 🎯

#High-Priority Topics:

• Social Movements vs. Interest Groups: Know the key differences.
• Social Movements in Course Countries: Be able to discuss the examples from Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, the UK, and China.
• Grassroots Movements: Understand how they operate from the bottom up.
• Pros and Cons of Social Movements: Be able to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of these movements.

#Common Question Types:

• Multiple Choice: Expect questions that test your understanding of definitions and examples.
• Short Answer: Be prepared to explain the impact of social movements on specific countries.
• Free Response: Be ready to compare and contrast different social movements and analyze their success and challenges.

#Last-Minute Tips: ⏰

• Time Management: Don't spend too long on any one question. Move on and come back if you have time.
• Read Carefully: Pay close attention to the wording of each question.
• Use Examples: Always back up your answers with specific examples from the course countries.
• Stay Calm: You've got this! Take deep breaths, and trust your preparation.

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Practice Question

Practice Questions

#Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following best describes a key difference between social movements and interest groups? (A) Social movements are more focused on specific policy issues, while interest groups aim for broad social change. (B) Social movements are typically formally organized, while interest groups are loosely structured. (C) Social movements often lack a clear organizational hierarchy, while interest groups have a defined leadership structure. (D) Social movements primarily operate at the national level, while interest groups focus on local issues.

2. The Zapatista movement in Mexico is best characterized as a: (A) Formally organized interest group focused on specific policy changes. (B) Grassroots social movement advocating for broad social and political reforms. (C) Government-sponsored initiative aimed at promoting indigenous rights. (D) Political party seeking to gain power through elections.

3. Which of the following is a common challenge faced by social movements? (A) Excessive government support and funding. (B) Clearly defined leadership and organizational structure. (C) Difficulty in attracting and mobilizing support among fellow citizens. (D) Ease of negotiating with governmental representatives due to unified voice.

#Free Response Question

Analyze the impact of social movements on political and social change in two of the following countries: Iran, Nigeria, or the United Kingdom.

Scoring Guidelines:

• Thesis (1 point): A clear, defensible thesis that addresses the prompt.
• Country 1 Analysis (2 points):
  • 1 point for describing a relevant social movement.
  • 1 point for explaining its impact on political or social change.
• Country 2 Analysis (2 points):
  • 1 point for describing a relevant social movement.
  • 1 point for explaining its impact on political or social change.
• Comparison (1 point): A comparison of the impact of social movements in the two countries.
• Evidence (1 point): Use of specific evidence from the course countries to support your argument.

#Short Answer Question

Explain the concept of a grassroots movement and provide one example from the course countries.