… even against formidable violent oppression.
As explained by Dr. Maria J. Stephan, Senior Advisor at U.S. Institute of Peace during CSIS’s The Future of Force panel:
Reasons:
-Nonviolent campaigns attract significantly higher and more diverse levels of participation (not just strong young men). Anyone can participate. 11 times the level of participation on average.
-More likely to see defections in regime’s pillars of support – security forces, business and economic people, media. Loyalty shifts are more common away from regime.
-Tactical innovation is broader when it includes things that unarmed or nonviolent people can do (Read 198 Methods of Nonviolent Action).
-Repression used against nonviolent actors is more likely to backfire.
-More likely to see resilience in nonviolent campaigns.
-Contributes more to democratization and civil peace.
CSIS panel video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tTCxbKvqSQ