Look at the Russian Revolution. I am not promoting Communism for America here, but hear me out.
Things were bad in Russia in the early 1900's, and that part of the world, major abuses were taken out against the poor by the Czars, the underclass was severely abused. A cultural movement began, and it was an idealistic view of a future utopia. The early stages were idealistic, peaceful, and focused on cultural change. It was working, but VERY slowly. People were waking up to the evils of the imperialistic system under which they were suffering. Even the wealthy and powerful were taking part in this intellectual "revolution".
Then came the Bulshivicks. They took the roots of this intellectual and peaceful movement and seized it to move forward with a selfish political agenda to take power. Some Bulschivicks might have been noble but they were infected with power hungry individuals. The movement used the cultural awakening and demanded progress happen NOW, they accused those who wanted a peaceful natural awakening and change of being in bed with the Czar's, they took ahold of nationalism and began to promote violent intimidate action. The sour result was not progress but the USSR that did not have a national buy-in from the people because they were not ready to craft lasting and intelligent change. Sure, if they had taken their time and waited for the cultural revolution instead of forcing a violent one, people would have suffered while waiting for all of culture to catch up... but it would have been better when the change happened. The Czar's days were numbered, but by forcing with violence that system's end, they were not ready to craft a healthy replacement.