The Politics of Nonviolent ActionBy Gene SharpPublished by Porter Sargent Publishers

11 Beacon StreetBoston, Ma 02108

Power and Struggle

The Nature and Control of Political Power

What is the Basic Nature of Political Power?

"All types of struggle, and all means to control governments or defend them against attack, are based on certain basic assumptions about the basic nature of power. These are not usually explicit.. people are rarely aware of them and would often find it hard to articulate them. This is true of advocates of both nonviolent and violent action... Basically, there appear to be two views of the nature of power. One can see people as dependent upon the good will, the decisions and the support of their government or any other hierarchical system to which they belong. Or conversely, one can see that government or system dependent on the people's good will, decisions and support. One can see the power of a government as emitted from the few who stand at the pinnacle of command. Or one can see that power, in all governments, as continually rising from many parts of the society. One can also see power as self-perpetuating, durable, not easily or quickly controlled or destroyed. Or political power can be viewed as fragile, always dependent for its strength and existence upon replenishment of its sources, by the cooperation of a multitude of institutions and people-cooperation which may or may not continue" (Page 8.)

Social Roots of Political Power.Political power must be seen within the social and cultural context of the society. A. Sources of Power

1. Authority2 Human Resources3. Skills and knowledge4. Intangible factors5. Material resources6. sanctions

B. These sources depend on obedience.

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Why do men obey?"The most important single quality of any government, without which it would not exist, must be the obedience and submission of its subjects. Obedience is at the heart of political power. The relationships between the ruler and the subjects, and even the ancient question of why some men obey other men, therefore becomes relevant to our analysis."

"Many people assume that the issuance of a command and its execution form a single, more or less automatic operation and therefore that the wielding of political power is an entirely one way relationship... the relationship between command and obedience is always one of mutual influence and some degree of interaction-which is "mutually determined" action involving a two sided relationship between the ruler and the subjects." (page 17)

A. The reasons are various and multiple.1. Habit2. Fear of sanctions3. Moral obligation4. Self Interest5. Psychological6. Zones of in difference7. Absence of self confidence

B. Obtaining the ruler's functionaries and agents.

C. Obedience is not inevitable.

The Role of ConsentA. Obedience is essentially voluntaryB. Consent can be withdrawn

Toward a Theory of Nonviolent Control of Political PowerA. Traditional controls

1. Self-restraint2. Institutional arrangements3. Applying superior means of violence

B. Theorists on the withdrawal of supportC. Clues to the political impact of noncooperation

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1. Bureaucratic obstructionThe United StatesChart one: PowerThe Soviet UnionGermany

2. Popular noncooperationIndiaThe Soviet Union

D. Toward a technique of control of political power

Nonviolent Action: An active technique of struggle

Characteristics of Nonviolent actionA. A special type of action

Cart two: Action in ConflictsB. Motives, methods and leveragesC. Correcting misconceptionsD. A neglected type of struggle

Illustrations from the pastA. Some early historical examplesB. The pre-Gandhian expansion of nonviolent struggleC. Early twentieth-century cases

1. Russian Empire- 1905-062. Berlin-19203. The Ruhrkampf-1923

D. Gandhi's contribution1. Vykaom_1924-252. Gandhi's theory of power3. India-1930-31

E. Struggles against the Nazis1. Norway-19422. Berlin-1943

F. Latin American civilian insurrections1. Guatemala-1944

G. Rising against Communist regimes1. Vokuta-1953

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H. American Civil Rights struggles1. Montgomery, Alabama 1955-56

Continuous developmentA. Czechoslovakia-1968

Seeking Insight

THE METHODS OF NONVIOLENT ACTIONPOLITICAL JIU-JITSU AT WORK

The Methods of Nonviolent Protest and PersuasionFormal Statements1. Public speeches2. Letters of opposition or support3. Declarations by organizations and institutions4. Signed public statements5. Declarations of indictment and intention6. Group or mass petitions

Communication with a wider audience7. Slogans, caricatures and symbols8. Banners, posters and displayed communications.9. Leaflets, pamphlets and books10. Newspapers and journals11. Record, radio and television12. Skywriting and earthwriting

Group representations13. Deputations14. Mock awards15. Group lobbying16. Picketing17. Mock electionsSymbolic Public Acts18. Displays of flags and symbolic colors19. Wearing of symbols20. Prayer and worship21. Delivering of symbolic objects

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22. Protest disrobings23. Destruction of own property24. Symbolic lights25. Display of portraits26. Paint as protest27. New signs and names28. Symbolic sounds29. Symbolic reclamations30. Rude gestures

Pressure on individuals31. "Haunting" officials32. Taunting officials33. Fraternization34. Vigils

Drama and music35. Humorous skits and pranks36. Performance of plays and music37. Singing

Processions38. Marches39. Parades40. Religious processions41. Pilgrimages42. Motorcades

Honoring the dead43. political mourning44. Mock funerals45. Demonstrative funerals46. Homage at burial places

Public assemblies47. Assemblies of protest or support48. Protest meetings49. Camouflaged meetings of protest50. Teach-ins

Withdrawal and renunciation

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51. Walk-outs52. Silence53. Renouncing honors54. Turning one's back

The Methods of Social NoncooperationOstracism of persons55. Social boycott56. Selective social boycott57. Lysistratic nonaction58. Excommunication59. Interdict

Noncooperation with social events, customs and institutions60. Suspension of social and sports activities61. Boycott of social affairs62. Student strike63. Social disobedience64. Withdrawal from social institutions

Withdrawal from the social system65. Stay-at-home66. Total personal noncooperation67. "Flight" of workers68. Sanctuary69. Collective disappearance70. Protest emigration(Hijrat)

The Methods of Economic Noncooperation: (1) Economic Boycotts

Actions by consumers71. Consumers boycott72. Nonconsumption of boycotted goods73. Policy of austerity

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74. Rent withholding75. Refusal to rent76. National consumers' boycott77. International consumers' boycott

Actions by workers and producers78. Workmen's boycott79. Producers boycott

Action by middlemen80. Supplier's and handler's boycott

Action by owners and management81. Trader's boycott82. Refusal to let or sell property83. Lockout84. Refusal of industrial assistance85. Merchants "general strike"

Action by holders of financial resources86. Withdrawal of bank deposits87. Refusal to pay fees, dues, and assessments88. Refusal to pay debts or interest89. Severance of funds and credit90. Revenue refusal91, Refusal of a government's money

Action by governments92. Domestic embargo93. Blacklisting of traders94. International seller's embargo95. International buyers embargo96. International trade embargo

Symbolic strikes97. Protest strike98. Quickie walkout(Lightening strike)

Agricultural strikes99. Peasant strikes100. Farm workers' strike

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Strikes by special groups101. Refusal of impressed labor102. prisoners' strike103. Craft strike104. Professional strike

Ordinary industrial strikes105. Establishment strike106. Industry strike107. Sympathetic strike

Restricted Strikes108. Detailed strike109. Bumper strike110. Slowdown strike111. Working-to-rule strike112. Reporting "sick"(Sick-in)113. Strike by resignation114. Limited strike115. Selective strike

Multi-Industry Strikes116. generalized strike117. General strike

Combination of strikes and economic closures118. Hartal119. Economic shutdown

The Methods of Political Noncooperation

Rejection of authority120. Withholding or withdrawal of allegiance121. Refusal of public support122. Literature and speeches advocating resistance

Citizens' noncooperation with government123. boycott of legislative bodies124. Boycott of elections

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125. Boycott of government employment and positions126. Boycott of government departments, agencies and other bodies127. Withdrawal from government educational institutions128. Boycott of government supported organizations129. Refusal of assistance to enforcement agencies130. Removal of own signs and placemarks131. Refusal to accept appointed officials132. Refusal to dissolve existing institutions

Citizens alternatives to obedience133. Reluctant and slow compliance134. Nonobedience in absence of direct supervision135. Popular nonobedience136. Disguised disobedience137. Refusal of an assemblage or meeting to disperse138. Sitdown139. Noncooperation with conscription and deportation140. Hiding, escape and false identities141. Civil disobedience of "illegitimate" laws

Action by government personnel142. Selective refusal of assistance by government aides143. Blocking of lines of command and information144. Stalling and obstruction145. General administrative noncooperation146. Judicial noncooperation147. Deliberate inefficiency and selective noncooperation by enforcement agents148. Mutiny

Domestic governmental action149. Quasi-legal evasions and delays150. Noncooperation by constituent government units

International governmental action151. Changes in diplomatic and other representation152. Delay and cancellation of diplomatic events153. Withholding of diplomatic recognition154. severance of diploetic relations 155. Withdrawal from international organizations156. Refusal of membership on international bodies157. Expulsion form international organizations

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The Methods of Nonviolent Intervention

Psychological intervention158. Self-exposure to the elements159. The fast

(a) Fast of moral pressure(b) Hunger strike(c) Satyagrahic fast

160. Reverse trial161. Nonviolent harassment

Physical intervention162. Sit-in163. Stand-in164. Ride-in165. Wade-in166. Mill-in167. Pray-in168. Nonviolent raids169. Nonviolent air raids170. Nonviolent invasion171. Nonviolent interjection172. Nonviolent obstruction173. Nonviolent occupation

Social Intervention174. Establishing new social patterns175. Overloading of facilities176. Stall-in177. Speak-in178. Guerilla theater179. Alternative social institutions180. Alternative communication system

Economic Intervention181. Reverse strike182. Stay-in strike183. Nonviolent land seizure184. Defiance of blockades

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185. Politically motivated counterfeiting186. Preclusive purchasing187. Seizure of assets188. Dumping189. Selective patronage190. Alternative markets191. Alternative transportation systems192. Alternative economic institutions

Political Intervention193. Overloading of administrative systems194. Disclosing identities of secret agents195. Seeking imprisonment196. Civil disobedience of "neutral laws".197. Work-on without collaboration198. Dual sovereignty and parallel government

THE DYNAMICS OF NONVIOLENT ACTION

Laying the groundwork for nonviolent action

Confronting the opponents power

Risks and variations in nonviolent actionCasting off fear

Social sources of power changesLeadership in nonviolent struggle

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Preparing for nonviolent struggleA. InvestigationB. NegotiationsC. Sharpening the focus for attackD. Generating "Cause Consciousness"E. Quantity and quality in nonviolent actionF. Organizing the movement

Openness and secrecy in nonviolent struggle

Basic Elements of nonviolent strategyA. The importance of strategy and tacticsB. Some key elements in nonviolent strategy and tactics

1. The indirect approach to the opponent's power2. Psychological elements3. Geographical and physical elements4. Timing5. Numbers and strength6. The issue and concentration of strength7. The initiative

C. The choice of weaponsD. Selecting the strategy and tactics

The ultimatum

The Halt to submission

Initial polarization followed by shifting power

The opponents initial problem

RepressionA. Control of communications and informationB. Psychological pressuresC. ConfiscationD. Economic sanctionsE. Bans and ProhibitionsF. Arrests and imprisonmentsG. Exceptional restrictionsH. Direct physical violence

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Persistence

The necessity of suffering

Facing brutalitiesA. Official and unofficial brutalitiesB. Remaining firm

SOLIDARITY AND DISCIPLINE TO FIGHT REPRESSION

The need for solidarityA. Maintaining rapportB. Generating incentivesC. Reducing grounds for capitulationD. Restraints or sanctions

Inhibiting repressionThe opponent prefers violenceThe need for nonviolent behaviorHow violence weakens the movementSabotage and nonviolent actionOther ways to slip into violenceThe necessity of disciplinePromoting nonviolent disciplineRefusal to hateThe inefficacy of repressionA. Arresting leaders is inadequateB. Repression measures may become new points of resistance

Political Jiu-JitsuWinning over uncommitted third parties

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A. International indignationB. Factors determining the impact of third party opinionC. The future of third-party support

Arousing dissent and opposition in the opponents own campA. Questioning both repression and the causeB. Repression produces defections: three casesC. Four more cases of defectionsD. The troops mutinyE. Splits in the opponent regimeF. provocation and appeals

Increasing support and participation from the grievance groupA. The victory in Palace SquareB. Strength needed to withstand repressionC. Repression may legitimate resistanceD. The number of resisters may grow

Less severe repression and counter-violence?Altering power relationships

Three Ways Success May Be Achieved

ConversionA. Seeking conversionB. The rationale of self-sufferingC. The barrier of social distanceD. Conversion through self-sufferingE. Some factors influencing conversion

1. External factors2. Internal factors

F. Conversion may not be achieved

AccommodationA. Violent repression seen as inappropriateB. Getting rid of a nuisanceC. Adjusting to opposition in his own groupD. Minimizing economic lossesE. Bowing gracefully to the inevitable

Nonviolent coercionA. The concept of nonviolent coercion

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B. Withdrawing the sources of political power1. Authority2. Human resources3. Skills and knowledge4. Intangible factors5. Material resources6. Sanctions

C. Some factors influencing nonviolent coercion

A successful conclusion?A. The risk and nature of defeatB. A draw of interim settlementC. SuccessD. Toward a genuine solution

The Redistribution of Power

Effects on the nonviolent groupA. Ending submissivenessB. Learning a technique which reveals one's powerC. Increased fearlessnessD. Increased self-esteemE. Bringing satisfaction, enthusiasm and hopeF. Effects on aggression, masculinity, crime and violenceG. Increased group unityH. Increased internal cooperationI. ContagionJ. Conclusion

Diffused power and nonviolent techniqueA. Violence and centralization of powerB. Nonviolent action and decentralization of power

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11/1/95

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