BIG FIGHTS - COMPETITION BETWEEN POOR PEOPLES SOCIAL-MOVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS

Using a national survey and interviews with organizers, the authors fi nd two broad areas of competition between social movement organization s (SMOs). Territorial competition focuses on turf and resources. Organ izational competition comprises recruitment of staff, leadership style s, definition of issues, training strategies, and recruitment of membe rs. In this study of poor people's SMOs, the authors find that competi tion differs between SMOs in national federations and those that are i ndependent, local groups. Further they find that competition, rather t han cooperation, is the prevailing pressure on SMOs.