In the 1970s, the highway revolts in some Western nations saw urban activists opposing government plans to demolish buildings for freeway route construction, on the basis that such demolitions would unfairly disadvantage the urban working class and benefit commuters. Anti-nuclear protests against proposed nuclear power plants in the United States and Germany prevented developments due to environmental and social concerns.
In the 1970s, protests against highway construction and nuclear power plant developments were driven by similar concerns: urban activists opposed government plans that they believed would unfairly disadvantage working-class communities while benefiting commuters or those with more resources. These movements also highlighted environmental and social concerns.