38 Degrees started in May 2009, named after the angle at which an avalanche occurs. It’s modelled after other international social-avalanche attempts such as MoveOn.org in the US, the Australian GetUp.org.au, and worldwide Avaaz.org. Recently it’s gained attention for its work (with others) on voting reform in the UK.
38 Degrees is a non-partisan people mobiliser: mostly by using technology (online petitions, emails to MPs and corporate executives) and sometimes through more traditional methods (MP surgery visits, protests), it brings individuals together to influence institutions. It mobilises around a progressive or “common sense” checklist (“defend fairness, protect rights, promote peace, preserve the planet and deepen democracy”).
Their campaigns have included a tax on bankers’ bonuses, a rethink on replacing Trident and a cleaner energy bill.
Among its successes to date, 38 Degrees counts making sure the Iraq inquiry was held in public, and gaining upward of 130,000 members.
Topics: Media
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