Final answer:
The correct answer is A) Resource mobilization theory. This theory explains the success of movements based on their ability to acquire resources and mobilize individuals, as illustrated by the civil rights movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Resource mobilization theory is a way to explain movement success in terms of the ability to acquire resources and mobilize individuals. This theory, conceptualized by McCarthy and Zald in 1977, posits that resources, primarily time and money, are crucial for the power of organized movements. A greater amount of such resources leads to a more influential social movement organization (SMO). Several SMOs with the same goals make up a social movement industry (SMI), which collectively represents the sum of all social movements in a society.
An example that illustrates the resource mobilization theory is the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Rosa Parks' arrest, for example, triggered a public outcry leading to the Montgomery bus boycott, showcasing how mobilization and resources like community support can strengthen a movement.