non violent revolution examples
(2002) Strategizing For A Living Revolution. ", Nonviolent Social Change – the Bulletin of the Manchester College Peace Studies Institute, Nonviolent Resistance, Reform, & Revolution, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nonviolent_revolution&oldid=1008785618, Articles with dead external links from June 2016, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from March 2011, All articles needing additional references, Articles that may contain original research from March 2014, All articles that may contain original research, Articles needing additional references from March 2014, Cleanup tagged articles with a reason field from March 2014, Wikipedia pages needing cleanup from March 2014, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from February 2011, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 25 February 2021, at 01:36. Examples include: Ghandi's nonviolent protest against British rule in 1930, known as the Salt March, which led to India's independence The Revolutions of 1989, which led to the downfall of several communist governments The Iranian revolution in 1979 The opposition uses as a symbol the white-red-white former flag of Belarus. "[36], The Occupy movement is an international protest movement which started in New York City on September 17, 2011 with Occupy Wall Street and uses the occupation of public spaces without government permission as a means of protesting numerous issues, including notably social and economic inequality. For example, in the post-colonial era: 1973 - Thailand (the "October Rising") 1974 - Portugal (the Carnation revolution) Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. argued this as well.[12]. Revolution Of 1905. If the revolutionists refuse to use violence, it is known as a nonviolent revolution. [16][14][15] In August and September 2019, the TMC formally transferred executive power to a mixed military–civilian collective head of state, the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, and to a civilian prime minister (Abdalla Hamdok) and a mostly civilian cabinet, while judicial power was apparently (according to Sudan Daily and Khartoum Star) transferred to Nemat Abdullah Khair, Sudan's first female Chief Justice. 1933-45 -- Throughout World War II, there were a series of small and usually isolated groups that used nonviolent techniques against the Nazis successfully. Two major revolutions during the 1980s strongly influenced political movements that followed. 2, in which Sharp lists 198 methods of nonvio-lent action and gives historical examples of each method. In 1989, citizens in China and East Germany rose up, demanding political change. The Irish Revolution is an example of nonviolent strategies operating effectively, if more quietly, within an otherwise violent campaign, revealing how even seemingly successful violent movements may actually owe much of that success to overlooked nonviolent techniques operating behind the scenes. 1968-69 -- Nonviolent resistance to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia enabled the Dubcek regime to stay in power for eight months, far longer than would have been possible with military resistance. 1996 -- The movement to oust Serbia dictator Slobodan Milosevic, which began in November 1996 with Serbs conducting daily parades and protests in Belgrade and other cities. Meanwhile, even in the face of violent repression, a series of non-violent protest movements in East Germany known as the Peaceful Revolution put pressure on East German government, and following a slight mistake made by East Berlin ruling party spokesperson Gunter Schabowski, a public broadcast stated the East Berlin border to be open immediately. JFK's "Address on the First Anniversary of the Alliance for Progress," White House reception for diplomatic corps of the Latin American republics, March 13, 1962. Such 'blue' revolutions are the last thing we need". In early October 2000, the Otpor (Resistance) movement and other democrats rose up again against Milosevic in a carefully planned nonviolent struggle. The media attention given to the color revolutions has inspired movements in the Middle East, and their supporters, to adopt similar symbology. Nonviolent campaigns have a 53% success rate and only about a 20% rate of complete failure. Both the United States and modern-day India became free from the same ruling country, that being Great Britain. 1850-1867 -- Hungarian nationalists, led by Francis Deak, engaged in nonviolent resistance to Austrian rule, eventually regaining self-governance for Hungary as part of an Austro-Hungarian federation. It lasted for over 2 years and genuinely posed a major threat to the Russian Tsar. When: 1970. According to the socialist Fourth International, Karl Marx acknowledged a theoretical possibility of "peaceful" revolutions, but the Fourth International articles also say "The development and preservation of good relations with the military forces is one of the absolute priorities of preparatory revolutionary work". Stage 3 – Confrontation: Organized and sustained campaigns of picketing, strikes, sit-ins, marches, boycotts, die-ins, blockades to disrupt business as usual in institutions and government. Each of these had massive street protests and/or followed disputed elections and led to the resignation or overthrow of leaders considered by their opponents to be authoritarian. The most recent major protests were on March 25, 2005. He argues that no government or institution can rule without the consent of the governed or oppressed as that is the source of nonviolent power. 1. The revolution in neighboring Kyrgyzstan began in the largely ethnic Uzbek south, and received early support in the city of Osh. Some examples of non-violent protestors include: Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Dalai Lama. Which is why in the modern, post-colonial era, most of the revolutions that have successfully overthrown their own authoritarian governments have been nonviolent. ... 5 Responses to Can a Global Revolution Be Non-Violent? -The Iranian Revolution that took down Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi’s dictatorial regime is a perfect example of a nonviolent mass movement that included more than 2 million Iranians. 1989 -- Nonviolent struggles led to the end of the Communist dictatorships in Czechoslovakia in 1989 and in East Germany, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in 1991. The demonstrations peaked on November 2, 2007, when 50,000–100,000[31] rallied in downtown Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. [13][14]:162–3 The government responded harshly, killing four protesters camping in Pearl Roundabout. retrieved on October 26, 2011 from, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Bloodless Revolution (also known as the Glorious Revolution). Mohandas Gandhi, 1942. At that time, however, Serb democrats lacked a strategy to press on the struggle and failed to launch a campaign to bring down the Milosovic dictatorship. By October 9 Occupy protests had taken place or were ongoing in over 95 cities across 82 countries and over 600 communities in the U.S.[37][38][39][40][41] As of October 28 the Meetup page "Occupy Together" listed "Occupy" communities in 2,355 towns and cities worldwide.[42]. The movement has had significant connections with that in neighboring Ukraine, and during the Orange Revolution some white-red-white flags were seen being waved in Kiev. [34], The opposition in Moldova, is reported to have hoped and urged for some kind of Orange revolution, similar to that in Ukraine, in the followup of the 2005 Moldovan parliamentary elections, while the Christian Democratic People's Party adopted orange for its color in a clear reference to the events of Ukraine.[35]. Initiated by the Canadian activist group Adbusters,[43][44] the movement is partly inspired by the Arab Spring movement, especially Cairo's Tahrir Square protests, and the Spanish Indignants. The first was the 1986 People Power Revolution, in the Philippines from which the term 'people power' came to be widely used, especially in Hispanic and Asian nations. For example, if you take either the French, the Haitian, the Russian or the Cuban revolutions, they could only be successful when the misery of most people reached a point of no return. The evidence from mass nonviolent movements shows that it's the best way for a country to win its freedom. What is a peace movement? 1765-1775 A.D. -- The American colonists mounted three major nonviolent resistance campaigns against British rule (against the Stamp Acts of 1765, the Townsend Acts of 1767, and the Coercive Acts of 1774) resulting in de facto independence for nine colonies by 1775. On the other hand, he fashioned it as an instrument for righting wrongs and resolving … This was a self-declared attempt to emulate the Kyrgyzstan revolution, and involved over a thousand citizens. 1990 -- The nonviolent protests and mass resistance against the Apartheid policies in South Africa, including a massive international divestment movement, especially between 1950 and 1990, brings Apartheid down in 1990. 1905-1906 -- In Russia, peasants, workers, students, and the intelligentsia engaged in major strikes and other forms of nonviolent action, forcing the Czar to accept the creation of an elected legislature. 1923 -- Despite severe repression, Germans resisted the French and Belgian occupation of the Ruhr, making the occupation so costly politically and economically that the French and Belgian forces finally withdrew. In December 1989, inspired by the anti-communist revolutions in Eastern Europe, the Mongolian Democratic Union (MDU) organized popular street protests and hunger strikes against the communist regime. Several countries are experiencing the rise of non-violent resistance movements with the intent of effecting a non-violent revolution. The revolution of 1905 was the biggest in a series of failed revolutions against the Imperial Russian government. over 95 cities across 82 countries and over 600 communities in the U.S. "Nonviolence and the Case of the Extremely Ruthless Opponent", "Corazon Aquino 1933–2009: The Saint of Democracy", "Defending Freedom in the Early Roman Republic". [18][19] This article mainly covers this eight-month period. Perhaps we should follow that example to discover ways to build a … Embraced by many Danes, the unofficial resistance included slow production, emphatic celebration of Danish culture and history, and bureaucratic quagmires. Back when America consisted of 13 British colonies, the tax on imported goods like paper, tea and paint was extremely high. [24][25] Smaller-scale protests and clashes outside of the capital have continued to occur almost daily. 1986 -- The Philippines "people power" movement brought down the oppressive Marcos dictatorship. These groups include the White Rose and the Rosenstrasse Resistance. The Sudanese Revolution was a major shift of political power in Sudan that started with protests throughout the streets on 19 December 2018[25] and continued with sustained civil disobedience for about eight months, during which the 11 April 2019 Sudanese coup d'état deposed President Omar al-Bashir after thirty years in power, the 3 June Khartoum massacre took place under the leadership of the Transitional Military Council (TMC) that replaced al-Bashir, and in July and August 2019 the TMC and the Forces of Freedom and Change alliance (FFC) signed a Political Agreement and a Draft Constitutional Declaration legally defining a planned 39-month phase of transitional state institutions and procedures to return Sudan to a civilian democracy. She also said that her party is collaborating with the youth organization Shiddat, and that she hopes it can evolve to an organization similar to Kmara or Pora. "Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground." THEORIES OF VIOLENT AND NONVIOLENT REVOLUTION !!!!! [14]:73–4 Later, protesters were allowed to reoccupy the roundabout where they staged large marches amounting to 150,000 participants. [14]:287–8, Protests resumed after lifting emergency law on June 1,[22] several large rallies were staged by the opposition parties[23] including a march on March 9, 2012 attended by over 100,000. 1953 -- A wave of strikes in Soviet prison labor camps led to improvements in living conditions of political prisoners. The Revolutions of 1989 provided the template for the so-called color revolutions in mainly post-communist states, which tended to use a color or flower as a symbol, somewhat in the manner of the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. If the revolutionists are willing to use force, but the loyalists (government) negotiate or surrender to divert armed conflict, it is called a bloodless war. An effective campaign of civil resistance, and even the achievement of a nonviolent revolution, may be possible in a particular case despite the government in power taking brutal measures against protesters. The idea is that majorities voting in elections approximate the result of a coup. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 at Porbandar in western India. 1920s-1947 -- The Indian independence movement led by Mohandas Gandhi is one of the best known examples of nonviolent struggle. http://www.trainingforchange.org/manifesto_for_nv_revolution, http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/lakeylivrev.html, "Bahrain declares state of emergency after unrest", "Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry", "Gulf States Send Force to Bahrain Following Protests", "Bahrain says seizes explosives, fines protest chief", "Police Brutality Turns Bahrain Into 'Island of Fear', "The Footage That Reveals the Brutal Truth About Bahrain's Crackdown – Seven Protest Leaders Arrested as Video Clip Highlights Regime's Ruthless Grip on Power", "Bahrain inquiry confirms rights abuses – Middle East", "Bahrain sees new clashes as martial law lifted", "Bahrain protesters join anti-government march in Manama", "Mass pro-democracy protest rocks Bahrain", "Heavy police presence blocks Bahrain protests", "Bahrain court delays ruling in activists case", http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/050419184754.74ehx330, Thousands Rally in Capital Against Georgia President, Patarkatsishvili Pledges to Finance Protest Rallies, Features – Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Asia-Pacific | Mongolians protest for new poll, Occupy the World: The '99 Percent' Movement Goes Global, "99 Percenters and 53 Percenters Face Off", "Occupy Wall Street Protests Continue Worldwide", "Occupy America: protests against Wall Street and inequality hit 70 cities | World news | The Observer", "Adbusters sparks Wall Street protest Vancouver-based activists behind street actions in the U.S", "Twitter #occupywallstreet movement aims to mimic Iran", Occupy America: protests against Wall Street and inequality hit 70 cities, From a single hashtag, a protest circled the world, "Cornel West on Occupy Wall Street: It's the Makings of a U.S. One classic example is in regard to the 1963 overthrow of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem. The Tsar was forced to appease the rebelling peasants … Gene Sharp, who influenced many in the Arab Spring revolutions, has documented and described over 198 different methods of nonviolent action that nonviolent revolutionaries might use in struggle. 1970s and 80s -- The anti-nuclear power movements in the US had campaigns against the start-up of various nuclear power plants across the US, including Diablo Canyon in Central California. To protest this tax, several colonists snuck onto a British ship at night and dumped 340 crates of tea into the harbor. Stage 2 – Building Organizations: As training, education and consciousness raising continues, the need to form organizations. Singing Revolution. Nelson Mandela, African National Congress leader, is elected President of South Africa in 1994 after spending 27 years in prison for sedition. See Sharp, The Politics of Nonviolent Action, vol. [14]:88, On March 14, Saudi-led GCC forces were requested by the government and entered the country,[14]:132 which the opposition called an "occupation". Both movements used the tactics of strategic nonviolence but their outcomes differed: the Tiananmen Square revolt was crushed but East German resisters were victorious. The Tallinn Song Festival Grounds where the Singing Revolution took place still … On March 25, 2005, activists wearing yellow scarves held protests in the capital city of Ulan Bator, disputing the results of the 2004 Mongolian parliamentary elections and calling for fresh elections. Non-violent revolutions are characterized by peaceful demonstrations rather than violence, they set a better example for future generations, and they have met with more success than violent revolutions. Mikhail Marinich, a leader of the opposition, was arrested and placed in prison for 3.5 years. More recently he's said "They [the West] think that Belarus is ready for some 'orange' or, what is a rather frightening option, 'blue' or 'cornflower blue' revolution. The Democratization of British Colonial America Prior to 1765 John Adams, a key leader of the American Revolution and the second President of the US, said,7 “The revolution was in the minds of the people, and in the union of the 11. A peaceful revolution or bloodless coup is an overthrow of a government that occurs without violence. (1973) Strategy For A Living Revolution. An example that is repeatedly used is the First Palestinian Intifada, which is often classed as non-violent despite stone-throwing being emblematic of that struggle. These are revolutions in post-communist authoritarian Europe and other new countries that were part of the former Soviet Union or Warsaw Pact. A name hypothesized for such an event was "grape revolution" because of the abundance of vineyards in the country; however, such a revolution failed to materialize after the governmental victory in the elections. The Boston Tea Partywas one of the earliest documented protests in America. [2] The commonly held belief that most revolutions that have happened in dictatorial regimes were bloody or violent uprisings is not borne out by historical analysis. Training For Change: Philadelphia, PA (, Lakey, George. Stage 4 – Mass Non Cooperation: Similar affinity groups and networks of affinity groups around the country and world, engage in similar actions to disrupt business as usual. [45][46][47] Occupy protests take their name from Occupy Wall Street, and commonly use the slogan We are the 99%, the #Occupy hashtag format, and organize through websites such as "Occupy Together" (website no longer being maintained). In 1962, John F. Kennedy famously said, "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. There have been a number of protests against President Alexander Lukashenko, with participation from student group Zubr. Nonviolent protests are twice as likely to succeed as armed conflicts – and those engaging a threshold of 3.5% of the population have never failed to bring about change. "[30], The 2007 Georgian demonstrations against the government of president Mikheil Saakashvili. [29] On April 19, 2005, he further commented: "All these coloured revolutions are pure and simple banditry. Almost all of them used a particular colour or a flower to be their symbol of unity. Lukashenko has said in the past: "In our country, there will be no pink or orange, or even banana revolution." Albert Schweitzer "Nonviolence is the law of our species as violence is the law of the brute. Join a community of 245,252 by entering your email below. [33] Demonstrations were initially largely peaceful, but turned violent the next day when the police used heavy-handed tactics, including tear gas and water cannon. Many reasons have been given for this, including a fractured opposition and that the government had already co-opted many of the political positions that might have united the opposition (such as a perceived pro-European and anti-Russian stance). -- The plebeians of Rome withdrew from the city and refused to work for days in order to correct grievances they had against the Roman consuls. However, it was severely suppressed by the police which arrested over 30 people. Autumn Responding to the Arab Spring", "Will Occupy Wall Street's spark reshape our politics? 2001 -- The “People Power Two” campaign, ousts Filipino President Estrada in early 2001. The Issue: The Kent State riots were originally a protest against … Peaceful revolutions that have occurred are the Bloodless Revolution (also known as the Glorious Revolution) of 1688 in United Kingdom, the People Power Revolution of 1986 in the Philippines, and the peaceful revolution of 1989 in Germany.