Rensselaer PolyTechnic Institute - It only takes 10% to change the Majority

[fullautovalmet76]

Here's the link to a fascinating study by RPI http://news.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=2902

It ties in nicely with some of things Michael Bane has said about the change in the culture toward guns. In a nutshell, if 10% of any given population accepts your idea, it will spread like wildfire. This is not really new news but it provides evidence to what the great political masters have always known.

[fightingquaker13]

Here's the link to a fascinating study by RPI http://news.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=2902

It ties in nicely with some of things Michael Bane has said about the change in the culture toward guns. In a nutshell, if 10% of any given population accepts your idea, it will spread like wildfire. This is not really new news but it provides evidence to what the great political masters have always known.

Sorry FA, but this is one of the reasons I think quantitative political science is pure BS. The "science" says it takes ten percent of a given population to tip the scales. Really? Well that explains why most Americans must be both pro-life and pro-choice, Christian and agnostic, gay and straight, pro-gun and anti-gun, PC and racist, like chuncky and creamy, and chocolate and vanilla and the list goes on. At least ten percent of the populace are hard core believers in two diametrically opposed positions. A and not A, logic, and looking outside the window, tells us this can't be true if the theory is correct. Ergo, the theory is wrong under normal conditions. But that does not deter the quantoids. This BS nonsense that you can do an experiment in a lab and have it mean anything is killing my discipline. Because hey, they used math and the answer is 47 so it must be true. Ignore the guys who don't think you need math to say something useful about politics or history. What do they know? AAAARGH!
FQ13 who obviously has some issues here.  

[Solus]

Might be more Social Science than Political Science in this case?

My problem with the theory is that we might have that totally committed 10% to the right to Keep and Bear Arms, but I also bet that the anti's have their totally committed 10%....so I guess that means that both sides will gain a majority of believers?

Looks like the experiments had 10% committed believers and 90% fence sitters.

[alfsauve]

Maybe they are referring more towards a "tipping point", not an up/down vote on an issue.  Though look through history, Prohibition, being one onstent, where a small group of advocates were able to enact legislation that went against what the majority actually wanted.

............ Because hey, they used math and the answer is 47 s

Well, see that's the problem we know the answer....42 (or beer), it's the question that's in question.

[tombogan03884]

Our revolution only took 3% and I would be willing to bet that most violent revolutions were carried out by %5 or less of the population. Russia's October revolution involved less than 1% of Russia's population.

[Sponsor]

[fullautovalmet76]

But FQ, it's from RPI and it has three dimensional scatter plots too! 
I do think you have a valid criticism but is it enough to derail what they have here? I'm not sure.
Since you have access to these peer reviewed journals, can you take a look at the study and comment further?

Maybe they are referring more towards a "tipping point", not an up/down vote on an issue.  Though look through history, Prohibition, being one onstent, where a small group of advocates were able to enact legislation that went against what the majority actually wanted.

I'm with Alf here. I think it is more like the tipping point than some hard and fast rule.

Tom, thanks for the examples I forgot about our revolution and the Russian revolution.

[tombogan03884]

FA, in Russia, the March revolution that overthrew the Czar had huge popular support from all over the political spectrum.
But in October when Kerensky provisional Govt was deposed it was just about entirely Bolsheviks and Menshaviks, who the Bolshies later purged.

[Solus]

It seems to me that the article is not talking about a political take over...which can be done by a small number of fighters, it is talking about "converting" the majority of the society to your view.

You could have the revolution and still not have any more folks believing in you....and you could h ave the majority believing in you and not pull off a revolution.

[tombogan03884]

That's why I used our Revolution as an example, only 3% participated on the Rebel side, but they not only changed the American Govt. they changed the entire concept of Government.

[crusader rabbit]

Our revolution only took 3% and I would be willing to bet that most violent revolutions were carried out by %5 or less of the population. Russia's October revolution involved less than 1% of Russia's population.

And didn't some guy named Jesus start with only 12 dudes?