What? You haven't read Howard Zinn? Take a look for yourself and see why he is a favorite author

"Social movements may have many 'defeats'-failing to achieve objectives in the short run-but in the course of the struggle the strength of the old order begins to erode, the minds of people begin to change; the protesters are momentarily defeated but not crushed, and have been lifted, heartened, by their ability to fight back."

- Howard Zinn