Nonviolent resistance

Nonviolent resistance (also known as nonviolent action, nonviolent protest, or civil resistance) is a method of social change that employs strategies such as protest, noncooperation, and nonviolent intervention to achieve its objectives without the use of physical violence.

History

The concept of nonviolent resistance has a long history, with roots in ancient Indian and Christian traditions. However, it was popularized in the 20th century by figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., who used nonviolent resistance to challenge British colonial rule in India and racial segregation in the United States, respectively.

Principles

Nonviolent resistance is based on the principle that the use of violence to achieve social or political change is both morally wrong and pragmatically ineffective. It seeks to win over opponents through persuasion, appeal to their conscience, and the creation of a moral dilemma that forces them to reconsider their actions.

Strategies

Nonviolent resistance can take many forms, including:

• Protest and persuasion: This includes marches, rallies, public speeches, and other forms of direct, nonviolent confrontation with the powers that be.
• Noncooperation: This involves refusal to obey laws, demands, or commands of those in power. It can take the form of strikes, boycotts, civil disobedience, and other forms of passive resistance.
• Nonviolent intervention: This involves directly intervening in a situation without the use of violence, such as sit-ins, blockades, and occupations.

Effectiveness

Research has shown that nonviolent resistance can be a highly effective strategy for achieving social and political change. A study by political scientists Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan found that nonviolent campaigns were twice as likely to achieve their goals as violent campaigns.

Criticisms

Despite its successes, nonviolent resistance has been criticized for being slow, requiring a high level of discipline and organization, and not always being able to overcome the most brutal and repressive regimes.

See also

• Civil disobedience
• Pacifism
• Satyagraha

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  Mahatma Gandhi leading the Salt March, a key event in the Indian independence movement.

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  Vietnam War protest demonstration.

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  Non-violent resistance during the No NATO protests, Chicago, May 20, 2012.

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  Protesters advocating for nonviolence.

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  Muslim protesters on London Bridge.