# Theory of Change

![rw-book-cover](https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/static/images/article2.74d541386bbf.png)

## Metadata
- Author: [[Aaron Swartz]]
- Full Title: Theory of Change
- Category: #articles
- URL: http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/theoryofchange

## Highlights
- “theory of action”: you work forwards from what you know how to do to try to find things you can do that will accomplish your goal.
- A theory of change is the opposite of a theory of action — it works backwards from the goal, in concrete steps, to figure out what you can do to achieve it. To develop a theory of change, you need to start at the end and repeatedly ask yourself, “Concretely, how does one achieve that?” A decrease in the defense budget: how does one achieve that? Yes, you.
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