The Evolution of Revolution

Kelly Bryson, expert on non-violent conflict, describes the evolution of non-violence as a revolutionary force, its success rate and historic examples over the last century.

People Power via Non-Violent Action and Peaceful Civil Disobedience

From Jesus to Gandhi, and Martin Luther King and Chavez to the people of Egypt today, nonviolent action campaigns have been a part of political life for millennia, challenging abuses by authorities, spearheading social reforms, demanding an end to colonial rule, or protesting militarism and discrimination.

Famous nonviolent protest leaders such as India’s Mohandas Gandhi and the United States’ Martin Luther King Jr., were committed to nonviolent action as the most effective means of waging their respective struggles. As Gandhi said "I would die for my cause but never will I kill for it".

In recent decades there has been a major upsurge in organized nonviolent insurrections against autocratic governments, many of which have achieved significant political and social reforms and even toppled repressive regimes from power.

Why Nonviolence Works

Nonviolent action can actually be more powerful than violence. A recent academic study of 323 major insurrections revealed that major nonviolent campaigns were successful 53 percent of the time, whereas primarily violent resistance campaigns were successful only 26 percent of the time.

Armed resistance tends to upset undecided elements of the population, who then seek security in the government and also gives the government easy justification for violent suppression. Conversely, force used against unarmed peaceful protesters engenders greater sympathy and may encourage formerly undecided elements of the community to side with the protesters.

Unarmed movements also increase the likelihood of defections and noncooperation by unmotivated police and military personnel.

Tactics of nonviolent campaigns may include strikes, boycotts, mass demonstrations, the popular contestation of public space, refusal to pay taxes, destruction of symbols of government authority (such as official identification cards), refusal to obey official orders (such as curfew restrictions), and the creation of alternative institutions for political legitimacy and social organization.

How to Protest Intelligently: Egyptian Activists' Blueprint

Prior to their planned protests, Egyptian activists circulated a guide "How to Protest Intelligently". Excerpts have been translated into English and published by The Atlantic.

While the plan itself contains specifics about what protesters might do, these excerpts show how one might equip oneself for clashes with riot police.

Amongst the "necessary clothing and accessories" shown I particularly like the rose, there to help make friends with the police and army.

As you'll read, the creators of the pamphlet explicitly asked that the pamphlet not be distributed on Twitter or Facebook, only through email or other contacts because of monitoring of the former avenues by Government agencies.

Peaceful Resistance in Action

Feast your senses on this wonderful example of Peaceful Resistance in Action, and an awesome documentary of our times. Here an amazing young man acts as actor and activist, conducting social anthropology experiments in public and filming them. Thought provoking, inspiring stuff.

Defend Your Freedom with Peaceful Non-Compliance

There has been a landslide of awareness of what's going on in the world today. More and more people are connecting the dots. Those people who have woken up to the myriad changes that are afoot to destroy our health and our freedom, restrict free speech on the internet, and bring in a New World Order have really got to turn their creativity now to "what are we going to do?" There is nothing more important! If we don't sort this out now, everything we've taken for granted ends.

The changes are quickening. Share the information, learn more about it by all means, but also do not neglect the need to refuse to cooperate with our mass enslavement. We are the many and those behind the implementation and control of our world are the few. It is time to stand up and resist through peaceful non-compliance. If every person changed the basis of their decisions and actions from "what's right for me?" to "what is right?", we stand up for the injustice against others, even if we are not immediately affected by it. If one person loses their freedom of speech, then we all need to stand with them.

Listen to this David Icke interview by Alex Jones to learn more.