The term "social movement" first appeared in connection with the French Revolution. It referred to the process in which people come to believe that their fate is not predetermined by higher powers, such as gods or clerical rulers, but rather that they themselves can determine the social conditions. For a long time, the working class was considered the pinnacle in the historical development of social movements, reflecting on its own situation at the height of socio-economic reality. This linear development was ultimately interrupted by fascism. However, following the student, ecology, and women's movements, an academic "movement research" soon developed, which began to speak of new social movements to address this.