This past Saturday’s Women’s March in Washington, Philadelphia and hundreds of cities around the world was a truly remarkable accomplishment.

Millions of women and men marched to protest the brand-new administration of President Donald Trump, who wasted little time to prove his anti-women agenda by signing an executive order banning federal funds to any organizations that provide abortions.

As civil protests go, it went very well. It was overwhelmingly peaceful. It drew a great many people to the streets who are not habitual protestors. It was a gathering of moms, daughters and even grandmothers hoping to get at least one simple message across to the administration: A vast number of women do not support your agenda.

In principle, such marches are a good thing. Not only is this a country founded quite literally on the principle that the people have a right – and a duty – to take to the streets when they are dissatisfied, the numbers were impressive. In theory, such a demonstration of unity should get the message across to the new Republican administration that it does not enjoy a mandate to do what it pleases. Political power is predicated on popular support. Or so goes the theory.

The problem with that line of thinking is that we no longer have a government that functions on the building of consensus, particularly at the federal level. Trump is not interested in building consensus. He’s interested in winning. As the winner of last November’s election, he will relish sticking it to the rest of the country who are, in his view, losers. A demonstration of numbers means little to him or his supporters.

The Women’s March now stands at an all too familiar crossroads for nascent political movements. Is it a one-day party that does little more than inspire the participants? Or is it the beginning of a concerted effort to seek and build real political power?

Micah White, a co-creator of the Occupy Wall Street movement, noted the challenge in a recent piece in The Guardian. “Without a clear path from march to power,” he wrote, “the protest is destined to be an ineffective feel-good spectacle adorned with pink pussy hats.”

Indeed. As remarkable a demonstration as the Women’s March has been, its organizers and participants need to realize that Saturday was not nearly enough. Those politically opposed to the marchers have no problem ignoring the voices of those they are already caricaturing as “unemployed” and “unpatriotic.”

I think many who marched realize this.

The Women’s March was really just a beginning. For those who marched, and those who support what they marched for, there’s much more work to be done.

Pete Mazzaccaro