Subcommunity Gladiatorial Competition: Civil Rights Leadership as a Competitive Process

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of the factors causing variation in the degree and character of civil rights leadership competition in 14 cities. Leadership competition is found to be closely linked with structural components of the Negro subcommunity. Organized competition is found in cities where leaders have several independent bases of support, while independent competition occurs where there is a weak community prestige structure. Also, evidence is presented which clarifies the social consequences of leadership competition. Organized competition facilitates intense activity, but individual competition most often results in sustained civil rights activity. Cities with no leadership competition seem best capable of maintaining a disciplined drive for specific goals. s is often the case, the folklore of American politics contains two conflicting statements about the value of competition for political leadership. On the one hand, competition for political office is assumed to be the measure of a thriving democracy. On the other hand, we tend to think of intensely competitive politics as the breeding ground for the spectacular demagogue. In particular, the American Negro civil rights movement is seen as an example of a situation in which high levels of competition have promoted irresponsible leadership.1 In this paper we will examine the civil rights movement in 14 cities, and present an analysis of the factors which cause variations in the degree and character of leadership competition and the way in which this competition has affected these movements.