2nd Module - Nonviolence in History
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Nonviolence in History
During the 20th century nonviolence gained unprecedented political significance throughout the world, and a number of successes were obtained: better wages and working conditions; the abolition of violent traditions and practices; the fall of dictatorships; the repeal of unjust laws; and the rise of democratic governments. However, examples of nonviolence date back almost 2,500 years ago.
Despite the widespread use of nonviolence throughout history, historians and formal education systems seem to give priority to documenting wars and violence. As a result of this reduced attention, nonviolence is still an unrefined, raw and intuitive technique for struggle, whereas the focus on and investment in military war has significantly increased its destructive power. Looking at history and examples of nonviolent struggle can help raise awareness of its nature and the way it works, and boost confidence.
Offline:
- Nagler, Michael N, Is There No Other Way? The Search For A Nonviolent Future, Berkeley, California: Berkeley Hills, 2001.
- Sharp, Gene, The Politics of Nonviolent Action: Power and Struggle (Vol. 1), Boston: Porter Sargent, 2000 (1973), pp. 75-101.
Online:
- Bleiker, Roland, Nonviolent Struggle and The Revolution in East Germany, Cambridge: The Albert Einstein Institution, 1993, http://www.aeinstein.org/organizations/org/NonviolentStruggleandtheRevolutioninEastGermany-Eng.pdf.
- Chernus, Ira, American Nonviolence: The History of an Idea, http://spot.colorado.edu/~chernus/NonviolenceBook/Index.htm.
- Miniotaite, Grazina, Nonviolent Resistance in Lithuania: A Story of Peaceful Liberation, Cambridge: The Albert Einstein Institution, (1995), http://www.aeinstein.org/organizations/org/NonviolentResistanceInLithuania.pdf.
- Parkman, Patricia, Insurrectionary Civil Strikes in Latin America: 1931-1961, Cambridge: The Albert Einstein Institution, 1990, http://www.aeinstein.org/organizations/org/CivilResistanceintheEastEuropeanandSovietRevolutions.pdf.
- Wikipedia contributors, Nonviolent resistance, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nonviolent_resistance&oldid=86904167 (accessed November 16, 2006).
- Zunes, Steven, Nonviolent Resistance in the Islamic World, in Nonviolent Activist: The Magazine of the War Resisters League, http://www.warresisters.org/nva0102-1.htm.
Activities you can use when working on these topics include:
- Nonviolence Timeline. Participants are asked to develop an historical perspective of nonviolent struggles in their local context and abroad. Then, they reflect on why historians seem to give priority to violence as the only legitimate form of combat.
