[Peace-discussion] The Theory of Nonviolence - Gene Sharp

[Dunleamark@aol.com]

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My next door neighbor, a graduate of Ohio State, recently provided me a  cop=
y=20
of an article that appeared in the alumni newsletter on Gene Sharp and the =20
theory of nonviolence.
=20
What is interesting is Sharp's contention that nonviolence is not something=20=
=20
to be done out of moral objection to violence but rather as the strategy mos=
t =20
likely to be successful in opposing oppressive regimes.
=20
The article is at _http://www.ohiostatealumni.org/newscenter/sharp.php_=20
(http://www.ohiostatealumni.org/newscenter/sharp.php)=20
=20
A few key paragraphs
=20
=20
A PRAGMATIC STRATEGY
Sharp  decided to spend his life documenting and analyzing the methods that=20
ordinary  people could use to resist repressive regimes. He wanted to say=20
everything that  needed to be said about nonviolence as a pragmatic strategy=
. Over=20
the years,  Sharp put this knowledge in the hands of oppressed people=20
everywhere=E2=80=94in the  nations of the old Soviet empire, in dictatorship=
s from Asia to=20
Africa to Latin  America, in the Middle East. His works became how-to guides=
 for=20
achieving  freedom and democracy.
In their zeal to destroy a bad regime=E2=80=94and to get even=E2=80=94activi=
sts are tempted =20
to use violence against the government. But violence usually doesn=E2=80=99t=
 work =20
because it plays into the regime=E2=80=99s strength. Even when violence succ=
eeds in =20
overthrowing the regime, one group of tyrants simply replaces another. =20
Repression and resentment begin a new cycle. To develop an effective strateg=
y, =20
activists need to identify the government=E2=80=99s weak spots and attack th=
em. Using  the=20
right combination of nonviolent methods, activists can weaken their  opponen=
ts.=20
The theory can be stated simply: Power, even in the most closed and  brutal=20
dictatorship, depends on consent. Ordinary people can band together to =20
withdraw their consent. Movements succeed when they refuse to resort to  vio=
lence,=20
since the regime always possesses superior instruments of violence.  Ergo, t=
he=20
future of democracy and freedom depends on nonviolence.=20
Ironically, the military understands Sharp=E2=80=99s work best. =E2=80=9CI=
=E2=80=99ve basically=20
given  up on [peace activists],=E2=80=9D he said. =E2=80=9CThey think you ge=
t rid of war by=20
refusing to  take part and protesting. No! You get rid of war when people ha=
ve=20
something else  they can do more effectively.=E2=80=9D
>From wikipedia
=20
=20
Sharp's theory of nonviolent resistance =20
Sharp's best known book, The Politics of Nonviolent Action (_1973_=20
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973) ), provides a  pragmatic political analy=
sis of=20
nonviolent action as a method for applying power  in a conflict.=20
Sharp's key insight is that power is not monolithic; that is, it does not =20
derive from some intrinsic quality of those who are in power. For Sharp, =20
political power, the power of any state - regardless of its particular  stru=
ctural=20
organization - is derived from the subjects of the state. His  fundamental=20
belief is that any power structure is based on the subjects'  obedience to t=
he=20
orders of the ruler(s). Therefore, if subjects do not obey,  leaders have no=
=20
power.=20
In Sharp's view all effective power structures have systems by which they =20
encourage or extract obedience from their subjects. States have particularly=
 =20
complex systems for keeping subjects obedient. These systems include specifi=
c =20
institutions (police, courts, regulatory bodies) but may also involve cultur=
al =20
dimensions that inspire obedience by implying that power is monolithic  (the=
=20
god cult of the Egyptian pharaohs, the dignity of the office of the =20
President, moral or ethical norms and taboos). Through these systems, subjec=
ts  are=20
presented with a system of sanctions (imprisonment, fines, ostracization)  a=
nd=20
rewards (titles, wealth, fame) which influence the extent of their  obedienc=
e.=20
This is ultimately related to nonviolent resistance because it is supposed t=
o=20
 provide subjects with a window of opportunity for effecting change within a=
 =20
state. Sharp cites the insight of _=C3=89tienne de La  Bo=C3=A9tie_=20
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/=C3=89tienne_de_La_Bo=C3=A9tie) , that if the=20=
subjects of a particular state=20
recognize that they are  the source of the state's power they can refuse the=
ir=20
obedience and their  leader(s) will be left without power.=20
Gene Sharp's latest work, _Waging Nonviolent  Struggle: 20th Century Practic=
e=20
and 21st Century Potential_ (http://www.wagingnonviolentstruggle.com/) was=20
published  in June, 2005. It builds on his earlier written works by document=
ing=20
case  studies where non violent action has been applied, and the lessons=20
learned from  those applications, and contains unprecedented information on=20
strategically  planning nonviolent struggle to make it more  effective.



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<DIV>My next door neighbor, a graduate of Ohio State, recently provided me a=
=20
copy of an article that appeared in the alumni newsletter on Gene Sharp and=20=
the=20
theory of nonviolence.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>What is interesting is Sharp's contention that nonviolence is not somet=
hing=20
to be done out of moral objection to violence but rather as the strategy mos=
t=20
likely to be successful in opposing oppressive regimes.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>The article is at <A=20
href=3D"http://www.ohiostatealumni.org/newscenter/sharp.php">http://www.ohio=
statealumni.org/newscenter/sharp.php</A></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>A few key paragraphs</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>
<P><FONT color=3D#710026><STRONG>A PRAGMATIC STRATEGY<BR></STRONG></FONT>Sha=
rp=20
decided to spend his life documenting and analyzing the methods that ordinar=
y=20
people could use to resist repressive regimes. He wanted to say everything t=
hat=20
needed to be said about nonviolence as a pragmatic strategy. Over the years,=
=20
Sharp put this knowledge in the hands of oppressed people everywhere=E2=80=
=94in the=20
nations of the old Soviet empire, in dictatorships from Asia to Africa to La=
tin=20
America, in the Middle East. His works became how-to guides for achieving=20
freedom and democracy.<BR></P>
<P>In their zeal to destroy a bad regime=E2=80=94and to get even=E2=80=94act=
ivists are tempted=20
to use violence against the government. But violence usually doesn=E2=80=99t=
 work=20
because it plays into the regime=E2=80=99s strength. Even when violence succ=
eeds in=20
overthrowing the regime, one group of tyrants simply replaces another.=20
Repression and resentment begin a new cycle. To develop an effective strateg=
y,=20
activists need to identify the government=E2=80=99s weak spots and attack th=
em. Using=20
the right combination of nonviolent methods, activists can weaken their=20
opponents.</P>
<P>The theory can be stated simply: <STRONG>Power, even in the most closed a=
nd=20
brutal dictatorship, depends on consent. Ordinary people can band together t=
o=20
withdraw their consent.</STRONG> Movements succeed when they refuse to resor=
t to=20
violence, since the regime always possesses superior instruments of violence=
.=20
Ergo, the future of democracy and freedom depends on nonviolence.</P>
<P>Ironically, the military understands Sharp=E2=80=99s work best. =E2=80=
=9CI=E2=80=99ve basically given=20
up on [peace activists],=E2=80=9D he said. =E2=80=9CThey think you get rid o=
f war by refusing to=20
take part and protesting. No! You get rid of war when people have something=20=
else=20
they can do more effectively.=E2=80=9D</P></DIV>
<DIV>From wikipedia</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3Dmw-headline>Sharp's theory of nonviolent resistance</SPAN=
>=20
<P>Sharp's best known book, <I>The Politics of Nonviolent Action</I> (<A=20
title=3D1973 href=3D"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973">1973</A>), provides=20=
a=20
pragmatic political analysis of nonviolent action as a method for applying p=
ower=20
in a conflict.</P>
<P>Sharp's key insight is that power is not monolithic; that is, it does not=
=20
derive from some intrinsic quality of those who are in power. For Sharp,=20
political power, the power of any state - regardless of its particular=20
structural organization - is derived from the subjects of the state. His=20
fundamental belief is that any power structure is based on the subjects'=20
obedience to the orders of the ruler(s). Therefore, if subjects do not obey,=
=20
leaders have no power.</P>
<P>In Sharp's view all effective power structures have systems by which they=
=20
encourage or extract obedience from their subjects. States have particularly=
=20
complex systems for keeping subjects obedient. These systems include specifi=
c=20
institutions (police, courts, regulatory bodies) but may also involve cultur=
al=20
dimensions that inspire obedience by implying that power <I>is</I> monolithi=
c=20
(the god cult of the Egyptian pharaohs, the dignity of the office of the=20
President, moral or ethical norms and taboos). Through these systems, subjec=
ts=20
are presented with a system of sanctions (imprisonment, fines, ostracization=
)=20
and rewards (titles, wealth, fame) which influence the extent of their=20
obedience.</P>
<P>This is ultimately related to nonviolent resistance because it is suppose=
d to=20
provide subjects with a window of opportunity for effecting change within a=20
state. Sharp cites the insight of <A title=3D"=C3=89tienne de La Bo=C3=A9tie=
"=20
href=3D"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89tienne_de_La_Bo%C3%A9tie">=C3=89t=
ienne de La=20
Bo=C3=A9tie</A>, that if the subjects of a particular state recognize that t=
hey are=20
the source of the state's power they can refuse their obedience and their=20
leader(s) will be left without power.</P>
<P>Gene Sharp's latest work, <I><A class=3D"external text"=20
title=3Dhttp://www.wagingnonviolentstruggle.com=20
href=3D"http://www.wagingnonviolentstruggle.com/" rel=3Dnofollow>Waging Nonv=
iolent=20
Struggle: 20th Century Practice and 21st Century Potential</A></I>was publis=
hed=20
in June, 2005. It builds on his earlier written works by documenting case=20
studies where non violent action has been applied, and the lessons learned f=
rom=20
those applications, and contains unprecedented information on strategically=20
planning nonviolent struggle to make it more=20
effective.</P></DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style=3D"color: black; fon=
t: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style=3D"MARGIN-TOP: 10px">See AOL's <=
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