Social psychology of People Power II in the Philippines.

Abstract

This research looked at the nonviolent process of the Philippines' People Power II, using first-person observations and newspaper accounts. The social psychological nature of this contemporary phenomenon is explained in terms of subjective experiences of the activists, organizational features of the political movement, and collective behaviors involved in active nonviolence. During People Power II, participants felt angry, afraid, stressed, and yet happy. Psychological antidotes to fear were Filipino cultural dispositions such as bahala na (leave it to God), lakas ng loob (inner strength), and one's Christian faith. On the cognitive level, People Power II participants believed that Philippine President Joseph Estrada was guilty of the charges filed against him, the judicial and political systems were no longer effective, and active nonviolence could make Estrada step down from office. Civil society groups utilized mass media and information technology to network, mobilize, and conscientize the public-at-l...