A grassroots movement (often referenced in the context of a political movement) is one driven by the constituents of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it is natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures. Often, grassroots movements are at the local level, as many volunteers in the community give their time to support the local party, which can lead to helping the national party. For instance, a grassroots movement can lead to significant voter registration for a political party, which in turn helps the state and national parties.
talking with pedestrians on the street (often involving informational clipboards)
gathering signatures for petitions
setting up information tables
raising money from many small donors for political advertising or campaigns
organizing large demonstrations
asking individuals to submit opinions to media outlets and government officials
holding get out the vote activities, which include the practices of reminding people to vote and transporting them to polling places.
Origins
In the United States, the first use of the phrase "grassroots and boots" is thought to have been coined by SenatorAlbert Jeremiah Beveridge of Indiana, who said of the Progressive Party in 1912, "This party has come from the grass roots. It has grown from the soil of people's hard necessities." [1]
Faking a grassroots movement is known as astroturfing. Astroturfing, as the name suggests, is named after AstroTurf, a brand of artificial grass. Astroturfing means to mimic a grassroots movement, with the powerful lobbyists behind the movement hiding their agenda by pretending to be individuals voicing their opinions. The term has incorporated itself into common speech.[2]
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