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level of satisfaction through participation and goal accomplishment. This is not to rule
out incentives which may benefit a specific community, such as promised reallocation of
budget resources in infrastructural construction or a reversion of favoritism in the wake
of the movement’s success.
Besides active participants, a successful movement demands a “silent” majority—a
“conscience constituency” in Oberschall’s terms.
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They are bystanders sympathetic to
the cause of the movement. Their participation comes from the calling for their
consciousness regarding justice and fairness, though they seldom receive direct personal
benefits. Their direct contribution is to push the movement to reach the necessary critical
mass. Simply “being there” at political gatherings adds to the number of participants in
the movement. It makes opponents have second thoughts over adopting radical counter-
measures. They are not always visible because they sometimes show their strength only
in electoral politics. While their support comes from the inspiration of a charismatic
leader, they have been educated through recognition of a common memory of the past
and shared mental universe of the future.
Undoubtedly, a massive recruitment of followers does not imply a smooth ride to
victory. A collective good can be perceived by opponents as a “collective bad.” While a
call for a new statehood represents a new political landscape and legitimacy to some,
others may feel that the initiation of a new movement implies social friction, political
instability, and ideological chaos. Too much vested interest and established rules of the
game would be reshuffled and reorganized. Uncertainties entail risks, confrontation, and
higher transaction costs in bargaining and trade-offs before the dust settles down. All
these point to troubles in policy implementation and enforcement. Such a social
Convention