It starts with an idea: the idea that things could be different. This evolves into the idea that things have got to be different. This, in turn, leads to a community and suddenly a popular, anti-authoritarian movement has begun, a movement which demands space and a hearing; which exerts pressure, insisting on influencing developments. This is how the popular movements that arose in the 1960s and 1970s continue to impact on developments in Europe in a democratic fashion.

Grassroots shows how the popular movements that arose 30 or 40 years ago have made their mark on European society today.

11 programmes introduce one protagonist each who participated actively in the evolution of the movement, and who tells the story from the inside.

In the times of Prague Spring the Czechoslovaks trusted the Communists and Soviets, but betrayal and its consequences last to this day and split up society;
Despite the oil crisis of the 70’s, nuclear power was banned and now renewable energy is Denmark’s biggest export;
The student movement of 68 and the years following in Paris, London, Italy and Germany;
The peace movement in the 70’s in Europe following the NATO decision of deploying the 572 cruise missiles in Europe;
The Netherlands was the first country in the world to obtain the same legal rights for gays as heterosexuals but in the land of tolerance, gays still face severe problems;
In Spain, the resident associations in poor neighbourhoods became the most active, dynamic popular resistance movements in the fight against the Franco dictatorship;
Tangentopoli (Bribesville) which got rid of some of the old Italian political parties and leaders, mainly for their involvement in corruption and illegal financing of political parties;
Bogdan Borusewicz, who created the Polish trade union Solidarnosc, reflects on the illusions and disillusions of the last decades;
From the outside, the women’s movement is perceived as completely successful in Sweden, but Swedish women still feel that much remains to be done;
In Finland, environmental activism to save the forests spawned the Green Party, but activists today feel their elders have sold out;
The women workers in an arms factory in Belgium who astounded everyone by going on strike for “equal work equal pay”.

For more information about Grassroots episodes, please click here