Power to the people (slogan)
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"Power to the people" is a political slogan that has been used in a wide variety of contexts.
During the 1960s in the United States, young people began speaking and writing this phrase as a form of rebellion against what they perceived as the oppression of the older generation, especially The Establishment. The Black Panthers used the slogan "All Power to the People" to protest the rich, ruling class domination of society. Pro-democracy students used it to protest America's military campaign in Vietnam.
In his 1974 book Computer Lib, Ted Nelson connected computer use with political freedom with the rallying cry "Computer power to the people! Down with the cybercrud".
The 1970s television series Citizen Smith had the title character use the slogan in the title sequence.
In the mid-1980s the People Power movement arose in the Philippines to oust Ferdinand Marcos.
In the late 20th century the phrase has been most often used with regard to energy policy. [1] [2]
"Power to the people, 'cause the people want peace" is chanted on the Public Enemy album New Whirl Odor
It is also the title of a song by John Lennon and a lyric by James Brown: "Power to the people, people power!" Rage Against the Machine also quoted the slogan in their song Year of tha Boomerang.
