The 8 Laws of Change is Stephan A. Schwartz' groundbreaking work that studies the key factors in advancing social change that fosters wellbeing. The 8 Laws looks at the key factors that emerged from analyzing over 200 social social transformations  and their outcomes over more than a century. From Benjamin Franklin to Henry David Thoreau to Gandhi to Martin Luther King there is a recurring pattern to success. The 8 Laws explains that nonviolent movements succeed 75% of the time while violent social movements only succeed 25% of the time.   Schwartz' research reveals that there is no force more powerful than a group of individuals holding a common intention, and that the ability to create compassionate, life-affirming change that fosters wellbeing at every level from the individual to the family, the community, to the nation, and the earth itself can be achieved in this way. It has nothing to do with race, age, gender, wealth, or official power. How many people does it take?

Based on research done by the Social Cognitive Networks Academic Research Center (SCNARC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Schwartz explains that when ever 10 percent of a group, whether a church group, a school group, a community or a nation changed their consciousness about something the entire group alters to accommodate that change.

Schwartz boiled down all the factors and exposed the common elements in enduring social change. In his book, explains that "The Key to Non-violent Social Change is Consciousness and The Quotidian Choice a simple daily practice anyone can learn:

. First, you become aware you are making a choice.

• Second, you choose the compassionate and life-affirming

one as you understand it at that moment.

• None of the choices may be great, but one is always

 slightly more compassionate and life-affirming."

-- Stephan A. Schwartz -- 09.2020

- UEF Editor: For more in-depth coverage and context, watch the "The 8 Laws of Change: In-depth" video presentation. Its run time is 22+ minutes.

Check Out the Daily SCHWARTZ REPORT
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