Chenoweth on Why Nonviolence Gets Results (The "Cliff's Notes" Version)

Prof. Erica Chenoweth

Last week, I watched hours of coverage of the Campaign Nonviolence conference taking place in Los Alamos, NM.

I particularly liked the presentation given by Prof. Erica Chenoweth at that conference.  I found it so compelling, I tweeted the key points, just as fast as I could type.  You can watch the Chenoweth presentation here, or just read my notes below!


Basic findings

* Want to know which works better - #nonviolence or #violence? COUNT! (Retweet this.)

* Using the strictest measures - the #nonviolence approach still tallies more successes! (Retweet this.)

* "I was blown away" - the #nonviolence approach more successful by 2:1 margin! (Retweet this.)

* #Nonviolence #resistance works. (Even if YOU don't believe it!) (Retweet this.)


How nonviolence works

* #INCLUSION - #nonviolence campaigns work - 'cause they get more PEOPLE involved! (Retweet this.)

* in face of state #violence, #nonviolence #resistance actually gets MORE people involved (Retweet this.)

* (Put another way: #nonviolence is the way to get beyond "just males" protest) (Retweet this.)

* "looks like a party" ... "safety in numbers" ... [ ..... reach the tipping point!] (Retweet this.)

* fewer barriers to entry ... possibility of exit ... means MANY more participate (Retweet this.)

* Don't discount #moral factor: average person doesn't want to injure ( even in #army!) (Retweet this.)


BIG campaigns

* Q: What's the big deal about BIG campaigns? (Retweet this.)

* The bigger the campaign, the more it erodes "pillars of support" for power holders (Retweet this.)

* Big participation means you get inside heads of "instruments of repression" (#police) (Retweet this.)

* "Backfire" - even IF there's #violent repression, tends to ENCOURAGE more mass action! (Retweet this.)

* TWO big tools of #nonviolence #resistance: "concentration" AND "dispersion" (Retweet this.)


An example: IRAN

* Lessons of 100 days #revolution in #Iran - one of largest of all times (Retweet this.)

* Last 10 days of 100 days #revolution in #Iran - general strike, esp. #oil workers (Retweet this.)

* By end of 100 days #revolution in #Iran - even #POLICE were calling in sick (Retweet this.)

* #nonviolence campaigns TEN TIMES more likely to result in #democracy (measured at 5 yrs (Retweet this.)


Overcoming old myths

* all this contradicts MYTH: #nonviolence #resistance ineffective vs repressive opponents (Retweet this.)

* this ALSO contradicts MYTH: #nonviolence #resistance can't arise in closed society (Retweet this.)

* key MYTH to overcome: "little bit of #violence" helpful to (main) #nonviolence effort (Retweet this.)

* "little bit of #violence" PROBLEM #1: more generalized violence leads to lower participation (Retweet this.)

* if you're interested in #radical #change - look at the hard facts on what's worked w-w (Retweet this.)


Research challenges

* Research challenge #1: how can #minority movements draw in #majority? (Retweet this.)

* Research challenge #2: (indirect) #solidarity and #support: is it really contributing? (Retweet this.)

* Research challenge #3: what #leadership structure REALLY works? (Retweet this.)

* Research challenge #4: civil resistance in #war zones - e.g. #Iraq #Syria #Afghanistan (Retweet this.)


Taking this information to the wider world

* Big surprise: how ANGRY people get about #nonviolence! (vs. #violence) (Retweet this.)

* We're talking #paradigm shift! (Like Thomas Kuhn on #revolution in #science!) (Retweet this.)

* (PS - people's response to #Galileo was: KILL HIM!) (Retweet this.)

* "We must unlearn what we have learned." (Yoda) (Retweet this.)

* Maybe it's a problem of learning styles? (video vs text?) (Retweet this.)

* Teachers: ask for re-evaluation of #textbooks (eg #USA #history) (Retweet this.)

* #USA #history: learn about MASS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE underpinning #American #Revolution (Retweet this.)


RECAP: 4 attributes observed in successful #nonviolence resistance movement

* "Mass and diverse participation" (Retweet this.)

* "new techniques for #resistance" (Retweet this.)

* "obtain the defections of the elites" (Retweet this.)

* "maintain discipline in the face of repression" (Retweet this.)


FOR MORE: watch the full Chenoweth presentation here.


Related posts

This tweet seems perfectly timed because of what is about to happen in a few weeks in Chicago.

(See Nonviolent Direct Action to Stop Police Crimes: Effective? )

Anyone who has had to write a speech knows that the hardest part is to land on the main idea. Once you've got that right, the rest practically writes itself.

(See "The way to respond to ISIS is not through violence." )





Think about it:
Aircraft carriers and Tomahawk missiles.
Drums.
Where's the real violence?


(See War, War Protests, and "Technology" )

Nonviolent Direct Action to Stop Police Crimes: Effective?

As I write this, 486 people have retweeted the following message:

@BlakeDontCrack on Twitter:
Non-violent civil disobedience has never been non-violent for Black People.

It seems perfectly timed because of what is about to happen in a few weeks in Chicago.


Is non-violence just a dream?

Freedom Riders Bus Burned near Anniston, Alabama, 1961
(See blackpast.org)

The message immediately reminded me of a question raised in Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates:  "Why were only our heroes nonviolent?" It's part of a longer passage:

Every February my classmates and I were herded into assemblies for a ritual review of the Civil Rights Movement. Our teachers urged us toward the example of freedom marchers, Freedom Riders, and Freedom Summers, and it seemed that the month could not pass without a series of films dedicated to the glories of being beaten on camera. The black people in these films seemed to love the worst things in life -- love the dogs that rent their children apart, the tear gas that clawed at their lungs, the firehoses that tore off their clothes and tumbled them into the streets.  They seemed to love the men who raped them, the women who cursed them, love the children who spat on them, the terrorists that bombed them. Why are they showing this to us? Why were only our heroes nonviolent?  . . . " (Between the World and Me, p. 31-2)

Ever since I have become involved in activism, this is a dilemma I have seen over and over again. People reject individual violence, but tolerate massive doses of state violence. (See War, War Protests, and "Technology" )

It is a dilemma that is central to Coates' book, and to his contention that US society will never be able to ease its way out of institutionalized racism (as adherents of "the Dream" hope).

It seems closely related to the question raised by Charles Blow (and retweeted over 3000 times):

@CharlesMBlow on Twitter:
Why did that reporter just ask #SamDubose's mother if she could forgive
the officer?! Why r we, but no one else, called 1st to forgiveness?!

What is the point of nonviolence, anyway?

Woolworth lunch counter sit-in in Jackson, Mississippi.
(See awesomestories.com)

Last week, I watched hours of coverage of the Campaign Nonviolence conference taking place in Los Alamos, NM.  The keynote speaker was someone who knows something about those Freedom Summer protests: Rev. James Lawson.

I particularly liked the presentation given by Prof. Erica Chenoweth at that conference.  I found it so compelling, I tweeted the key points, just as fast as I could type.  (You can watch the video of the full Chenoweth presentation or read a summary here.) The big idea that I got from Prof. Chenoweth's presentation: mass participation is what's needed to bring about change, and nonviolent tactics are proven to be more successful at bringing about mass participation (and making it effective).

Inherent in the Chenoweth presentation, is a big question: where does the mental toughness -- some people would call it "grounding" -- come from that enables people to continue following the more effective nonviolent course, particularly when confronted by a state that just keeps committing acts of violence?


Stopping state violence in Chicago

A 17-year-old civil rights demonstrator being
attacked by a police dog during protests.
(See NY Daily News.)

On August 29, a coalition of groups in Chicago will march for community control of the Chicago police.

Thousands are expected to march.

It is a significant example of the use of nonviolent protest to bring about an end to state violence.

I think everyone -- and particularly anyone who lays claim to being a political leader -- should be asking themselves the question, "How many hoops of nonviolent protest do people need to jump through before it's enough?" Put another way, "Just how much longer do you expect people to keep their righteous anger in check?"


TAKE ACTION

Participate in, promote, support

March for Community Control of the Chicago Police

Related posts


We can't imagine that anti-racism work is just about specific police officers or even specific departments. Entire institutions of racist law enforcement need to be brought to heel in real time. It's a task worthy of a society-wide, national, federal effort. And it's top priority. No leader can ignore this reality . . . .

(See "If elected . . . ." (The Election 2016 and #BlackLivesMatter Nexus) )

It's time for Chicago's Progressive Caucus as a whole -- and all its members individually -- to come out strongly in favor of a democratically-elected Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC) for Chicago.

(See A Modest Proposal for Chicago's Progressive Caucus: Support CPAC )











#BlackLivesMatter: When all is said and done, how many career politicians in Chicago will have crashed and burned along the way because they couldn't or wouldn't step up and lead on this issue?

(See #PeopleOverPolice: Is This What Democracy Looks Like? )

I wonder if the outrage that many Muslims seem to feel at the suffering of other Muslims doesn't put us Christians to shame.

(See Fighting Back: It's alright as long as you're a Christian, right? )

Independence Day - from WAR and VIOLENCE!

In recent years I've begun to take a hard look at the Fourth of July: what the hell are we celebrating, anyway?

Three years back I was feeling hopeful because of the growth of the movement against drone warfare and surveillance. (See Independence Day - from DRONES!) Although we haven't stopped the drones completely, that movement has continued to grow and strengthen, and it has forced serious discourse on what our government is doing.

Just one year later we were enjoying another moment of hope: the Snowden revelations. (See Independence Day - From SURVEILLANCE) We certainly haven't put an end to government surveillance, but we have had some victories. (See, for instance, "U.S. Surveillance in Place Since 9/11 Is Sharply Limited")

Earlier this week, a friend of mine, Rivera Sun, was sharing an image of her holiday banner and asked the question, "I'm curious, who feels more like protesting on the Fourth of July than parading?"

Rivera Sun's holiday banner:
"It's July 4th - do you know where your democracy is?"

It reminded me that the patriotic thing to do on Independence Day is to start a conversation about something really important to our country (and the world), like stopping war and militarism.

Start a REAL conversation at the Fourth of July BBQ this year:
I support ANTI-WAR candidates! (Know any?)

The most obvious entry point into that conversation seems to be election 2016 and the question of whether we have any antiwar candidates.

But I can't help thinking that there's a deeper question we should be discussing, namely, "Can we have a successful antiwar movement without an all-out commitment to nonviolence?"

The answer makes a difference, because there are two separate campaigns that are making big strides right now: World Beyond War and Campaign Nonviolence. They have many shared aims, and are mutually reinforcing. (See, for instance, the sections "Nonviolence: The Foundation of Peace" and "Nonviolent Direct Action Campaigns" in World Beyond War's A Global Security System: An Alternative to War.) But where should the main emphasis be placed? When it comes to ending war and ending violence, does one come before the other? (If so, shouldn't we start there? Otherwise, isn't there a risk of effort being expended inefficiently? Have we got any effort to spare?)

Heaven knows I have seen this on a local level in my work in the city of Chicago. Young people we counsel to eschew violence come right back at us, saying, "That advice is hard to swallow, considering we live in a country whose answer to every conflict is to call in an air strike . . . . "

"What comes first: independence from war? or independence from violence?"

I can't help feel that there could be nothing more important than getting as many people as possible to care about the answer to this question, and to act on it.

Your comments on this post would be greatly appreciated. And the more people you can share it with, the better.

Talk to your people! Maybe the best place to start IS that Fourth of July BBQ . . . .


Related posts

I believe an enormous number of people will conclude that, if they really believe "we can choose to abolish war," then what's required is to speak it.

(See "We can choose to abolish war" (The rest is just details) )

I wonder if the outrage that many Muslims seem to feel at the suffering of other Muslims doesn't put us Christians to shame.

(See Fighting Back: It's alright as long as you're a Christian, right? )






In a composition suggestive of a yin-yang symbol, a woman in a burka (but wearing audacious red glitter platform heels) is surrounded by genie-ish tableaus of the many male obsessions/pastimes that some of us rail about frequently -- sexualized pop singers, professional sports -- as well as some that we probably should rail about more (such as patriarchy in religion and political violence).

(See VIOLENCE: " . . . and the women must live with the consequences . . . " )







The Last Supper is a staggering collection of 600 plates that the artist Julie Green has painted with images and notations about the last meals of people put to death in states across the US.

(See Communion of a Different Sort: "The Last Supper" at the Block Museum )



"We will discuss replacing the violence of militarism with a community of peacemaking that will not channel our children into the service because they are poor. We will speak of using budgets at every level of government to ensure fairness and equality – two of the cornerstones of peace."

(See the Remedy for Violence website)