Nonviolent Movements
“Nonviolent revolutions are twice as successful as violent ones in achieving their stated goals.”
- Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan
Eric Chynoweth TEDx Boulder talk
Additionally, nonviolence is becoming more effective over time. Violent campaigns are less effective and are becoming less effective at creating the change needed.
Erica Chenoweth, a militarist, surveyed 323 revolutions attempted in the 20th Century. She trained to be a soldier and got a PhD in military science. She was invited to a conference on peace, and was challenged to study civil resistance. She was startled to discover nonviolent revolutions were twice as successful as violent. She wrote the book, Why does civil resistance work? The book contains detailed analyses of what works, and what does not. It may determine whether or not we can create a genuine democracy.
Advantages of nonviolence include: much greater public participation. Diversity in gender, age, religion, ideology, profession, socioeconomic status. More skills and capacities, More difficult to repress. Stronger social bonds with police and military.
Nonviolent social movements are not just about a string of dramatic moments. They:
Have clear & consistent objectives
Maintain continued momentum through everyday acts of resistance
Put pressure on the legislature
Empower dedicated support from the base
Allow the capacity for everyone to resist & participate in people power
Enlist the help of powerholders
Nonviolence helps us to liberate ourselves from greed, tyranny, and injustice. But to use it safely and effectively requires knowledge and planning.
“Time accomplishes for the poor what money does for the rich.” – Cesar Chavez, Letter from Delano