Pillars of Support
from Indivisible:
The Pillars of Support are the organizations and institutions in society that can provide the administration with the power they need to implement policies and wield control.
There aren’t a set number of pillars, but they include Business, Labor, Faith Institutions, Education, Civil Service, and Military/Police. These pillars are made up of different people with different identities, motivations, and interests.
The Trump administration’s power and legitimacy comes from both active and passive support from the various pillars. But the pillars can erode that power when they refuse to go along with the administration’s authoritarian actions. We need the institutions and people that make up these pillars to engage in mass noncooperation to successfully oppose Trump’s regime and quash his authoritarian takeover.
To implement Indivisible's Pillars of Support, form
Courage Collectives within your existing pillar identity (e.g., teachers, union members) to organize non-cooperation actions against authoritarianism. Start by identifying your pillar's leverage points, like your employer or professional organizations, choose a target, and then organize and take non-cooperation actions, like withholding labor or speaking out, to challenge authoritarian power.
Step 1: Form a Courage Collective
- Create a subgroup: If you are in an Indivisible group, create a pillar sub-team.
- Start a separate group: You can also start a separate group or a Courage Collective.
- Gather like-minded individuals: Connect with people who share your pillar identity and are interested in taking action.
- Register your Collective: Register your Courage Collective with Indivisible to receive resources and connect with other groups.
Step 2: Identify and map your influence
- Map your leverage: Identify your pillar's connections to institutions that could be targeted, such as associations, employers, or boards.
- Connect with existing organizations: Partner with other groups and organizations that have already been working on similar issues to build collective strength and resilience.
- Be humble: When reaching out to other organizations, seek to learn from their work and build trust before taking action.
Step 3: Plan and take action
- Choose a target: Select a specific target for your action, such as an employer or a specific policy.
- Organize for clarity: Ensure your group is organized to provide clear value, so you don't become a burden to organizations already in triage mode.
- Implement non-cooperation: Engage in non-cooperation tactics, which can include:
- Workers withholding labor or skills
- Businesses speaking out or withholding financial contributions
- Bureaucrats slowing down processes
- Faith organizations withdrawing moral approval
- Police and military defying violent orders
- Focus on the "how": These actions are about implementing strategic non-cooperation to chip away at the power of authoritarianism, rather than just asking for change.