They ploughed ahead using the shrillest of arguments and reassured the likeminded that they were morally right and therefore destined to succeed. But the widespread support just wasn't there, and they didn't bother to do the groundwork to build real consensus. Communication styled looked more like virtue signaling to one another, than genuine attempts to reach out in persuasion to others.

It actually reminds me a bit of modern day progressivism, except they don't have the power of the state to back them up.