Protests Can Influence Politics – Preserving the Status Quo
Protests against energy projects often make headlines—but how effective are they? A new study of 40 years of Swedish energy protests reveals that efforts to maintain the status quo succeed more often than those pushing for change.
A new study shows that energy-related protests in Sweden are often more effective at halting changes than pushing through new policies. Researchers analyzed data from 40 years of energy protests and policy proposals in the Swedish parliament. The findings reveal that protests to maintain current affairs are more likely to succeed than those striving for change.
Status Quo Protests Particularly Effective
The study, conducted by researchers Katrin Uba (Uppsala University) and Cassandra Engeman (Stockholm University) and published in Social Forces, focuses on protests for and against various energy sources such as nuclear power, wind power, and other renewables. The results indicate that protests are more effective at stopping the introduction of proposals than getting proposals introduced. However, protests opposing renewable energy—for example, against wind turbines—more frequently led to proposals supporting continued reliance on non-renewable energy sources. In contrast, it is less common for protests advocating for renewable energy to result in political decisions directly benefiting these sources.
"Our research suggests that protests defending the status quo may benefit from inertia within political systems," says Cassandra Engeman, a researcher at the Swedish Institute for Social Research at Stockholm University and one of the study's authors.
The researchers also found that larger protests are more likely to influence policy, and drawing from other previous studies, they suggest that offering clear, unified messages may contribute to protest efficacy. Protests against change often coalesce around specific demands, such as halting the construction of a wind farm. On the other hand, protests advocating for change tend to be more fragmented, offering various proposed solutions.
Political Inactivity as a Measure of Success
An interesting aspect of the study is introducing the concept of " policy inactivity" as a measurable outcome of protests. Instead of viewing inaction as a failure, the researchers emphasize that this is often precisely what the protests aim for—to prevent a change perceived as negative.
The study provides new insights into how and when protests influence politics. The findings could help shape better strategies for future activism, particularly in climate and energy policy.
Contact information
- Katrin Uba, Associate Professor at the Department of Government, Uppsala University: 018 471 33 02, katrin.uba@statsvet.uu.se
- Cassandra Engeman, Research Fellow at the Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), Stockholm University: 08-16 20 75, cassandra.engeman@sofi.su.se
Last updated: December 3, 2024
Source: Magnus Dahl