If We Burn

The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution

By: Vincent Bevins

Narrated by: Timothy Andrés Pabon

The story of the recent uprisings that sought to change the world—and what comes next

From 2010 to 2020, more people participated in protests than at any other point in human history. Yet we are not living in more just and democratic societies as a result. IF WE BURN is a stirring work of history built around a single, vital question: How did so many mass protests lead to the opposite of what they asked for?

From the so-called Arab Spring to Gezi Park in Turkey, from Ukraine’s Euromaidan to student rebellions in Chile and Hong Kong, acclaimed journalist Vincent Bevins provides a blow-by-blow account of street movements and their consequences, recounted in gripping detail. He draws on four years of research and hundreds of interviews conducted around the world, as well as his own strange experiences in Brazil, where a progressive-led protest explosion led to an extreme-right government that torched the Amazon.

Careful investigation reveals that conventional wisdom on revolutionary change is gravely misguided. In this groundbreaking study of an extraordinary chain of events, protesters and major actors look back on successes and defeats, offering urgent lessons for the future.

©2023 Vincent Bevins (P)2023 PublicAffairs

Critic reviews

“This is a wondrous work of mystery writing, an effort to solve the riddle: Why has a decade of large-scale rolling revolts produced no revolution, no significant structural reform? I can’t think of any journalist other than Bevins who would dare to ask such a question, or be capable of weaving together seemingly discrete global events into a stunning history of now. Have we planted seeds for a better future, or have the gears of change frozen for good? Bevins lets the people he talked to, those on the street, answer.”—Greg Grandin, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The End of the Myth

“In this remarkably assured and sweeping history of the present, Vincent introduces us to the activists, hackers, punks, martyrs, and the millions of ordinary people whose spontaneous acts of bravery spurred the mass protests of the last decade. Bevins’s clear-eyed, sympathetic account of the unfulfilled promise of these protests leaves his reader with a bold vision of the future—one in which his book’s lessons are used to transform an uprising into a true revolution.”—Merve Emre, critic, New Yorker

“Ambitious, diligently researched, and provocative, If We Burn will transform the way you think. Vincent Bevins’ detailed, comparative reporting offers a riveting look at the contradictions, unexpected consequences, and lessons of mass protests.”—Alexa Hagerty, author of Still Life with Bones

Incredible.

This book is masterful. Bevins somehow manages to synthesize events across the globe throughout a decade in careful detail and engaging prose. It is an important work of recent history that helps us reflect on events we remember well. It is also an essential read for anyone interested in social movements and social change. It offers fascinating insights into the strengths and downfalls of social movements around the world- the same strengths and downfalls that we can expect today. In that way, it does the work of unveiling the recent past and instructing for the future.

Excellent modern history

Ties together disparate modern protest movements across the globe into a thought-provoking narrative. Really thorough research and interviews are supplemented by the author's own on-the-ground experience as a long-time foreign correspondent.

A must-read for anyone who has even a passing interest in international politics.

Wonderful overview with a challenging conclusion

As we live through the reactionary aftermath of the 2010s protest era, Bevins provides an insightful abd easy to follow story of what sparked these explosions and begins reaching towards how we might do better next time.

Great book exploring the ups and downs of modern protest movements

Pretty good critique of the weakness of horizontalism, and how easy it is to get nowhere or be co-opted. Lots more but that's the big theme imo.

An important read in this new age of revolutions

Vincent’s works speak for themselves. Watching these real time it was hard to tell why they felt “off”. His connections to the real participants and their own reflections helps to fill in the color on the canvas. Very well done.

Read the book!

I'm going to get the paper copy. this book is so packed with info, I need to see it to take good notes. I recommend reading it to get the full impact

Simply incredible

Another amazing piece of work from Vincent Bevins. Narration is wonderful and the subject matter is captivating, while still serving it’s purpose as an in depth study into the protest decade.

Thought provoking reporting and analysis

Things can always get worse, power abhors a vacuum, change requires organizing — this books does a fabulous job of explaining why these cliches remain relevant in the age of social media. I found the reporting eye opening. I hope it’s read widely on the left.

Timely and well sourced

Bevins has a unique perspective, having actually been in the middle of a number of the protests he writes about. He is careful to acknowledge his possible biases (an unfortunate rarity in political journalism) and chronicles some recent history that is increasingly relevant today.

The narration is fine, and the few things I didn't like about it didnt detract from an otherwise excellent experience.

A thoughtful and powerful read

Bevins offers a great history of the past decade of mass decentralized protests, grounded in direct conversation with the activists and organizers who led many of its demonstrations. He gives a convincing analysis of the limitations of this decentralized media centric form, and discusses alternatives. An important read because it also focuses outside of the Western European/North American field that so often gets the most attention- looking at movements that actually toppled or legitimately threatened to topple their governments.
Organization, planning, and political education- these play a key role in deciding who decides the future after any mass rupture.
A worthy follow up to the Jakarta Method!