Other factors in wider social change

At a speech at York University in 2014 Julia Unwin, then CEO of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, argued that social change is produced by a combination of several elements: a vision; evidence of social detriment; a sense of crisis (a 'burning platform'); a shared narrative; emotion; vocal supporters; proven solutions; surprising friends; movements of people, often now mobilised by social media; and public acceptance. She was asked about the role of figureheads and replied that this was not the major factor: leadership can be found everywhere amongst people and communities.