In a book that offers tools for predicting the long-term viability of a range of organizations, the author traces the political development of the National Organization for Women, explaining how NOW's activities and the stances it has taken throughout its history have been shaped primarily by the organization's internal political system. Focusing on interactions between NOW leaders and rank-and-file members, the book examines how the organization's internal structure affects its development and its participation in the wider political arena. The author also reveals why strategic change has always been such a contentious issue for the organization, the ways in which NOW enhances civic and political engagement, and the limits on NOW's future mobilizing capacity.