[dTal]

>there's major (valid) fear on the part of the establishment when a radically different movement picks up steam

What do you mean by "valid" here? Do you mean they are afraid for society, or themselves?

[09bjb]

As in, there was a legitimate possibility in the 60s or with OWS that the movement would pick up enough momentum to really shake things up, power-structure-wise.

[betterunix2]

Don't forget that the civil rights movement actually was shaking things up in the 60s. I suspect that influenced political decisions by magnifying perceived threats to the prevailing social order.