Non-Violent Change

Last night, while driving home from a meeting, I heard a report on NPR regarding non violence and how powerful and successful it is when measured by results achieved.  If I recall correctly the person being interviewed reported that in the 20th century, non violence yielded the desired results 54 % of the time, whereas violent action only obtained the desired results 23 % of the time.

Of course, I don't fully trust my memory, so I searched for corroborating evidence.  In a Forbes Magazine I found it.  The article presented findings from a study conducted  by Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan that was in a publication titled Foreign Affairs.  The study looked at 323 violent and non violent movements between 1900 and 2006 that involved over 1,000 participants in each instance.  The findings were clear, "nonviolent movements were twice as likely to succeed as violent movements, and that nonviolent movements often significantly increased the chances of a more peaceful and democratic government emerging in the aftermath."  

Chenoweth and Stephan concluded that non-violent activities are "more likely than armed struggle to attract a larger and more diverse base of participants and impose unsustainable costs on a regime."  I'm not sure that the author's are referring to monetary costs alone.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2014/07/24/the-proven-superiority-of-nonviolent-resistance/#377e143668f0


Another point made on this NPR show was that non violent techniques were not developed and used only in the 20th century.  A reference was made to a group of non-violent actions taken by colonists before the revolutionary war in our country, from 1765 to 1775.  These actions included non-consumption of British  goods already in the colonies, non-importation of British goods and non-exportation of raw materials for Britain to make goods with.

So what's the point Bill?  Well I believe we are in an extended fight for our country's heart and soul.  I do not believe that any one of us would consider violence as a way to place pressure on our elected officials to make the changes that are necessary for our country to move forward in our constant quest for the best democracy we can create.  Our democracy is always a work in progress.  Sometimes it's hard to see the forest your in because the trees get in the way, but I feel certain that we are at a critical point in our democracy.  I believe that our constitution is facing the largest challenge it has ever faced.  The War Between the States was our biggest challenge to our union as the United States, but that was a different concern, it was not about our constitution (at least not directly).

We have elected officials in place that have complete disregard for our Constitution, who believe they can do as they wish in spite of what our Constitution reads.  These officials could very well attempt to change our Constitution in fundamental ways, I don't know.

But, this is what I do know.  We have the power and an  obligation to those that came before us and built our country and to our progeny, to preserve our constitution and amend it so that our democracy will work for all of us.

I found a great site, while researching today's post, from Swarthmore College.  It is a titled the Global Nonviolent Action Database.  I'm including a link to the site that goes to a page that discusses the colonist's nonviolent actions and methods that can be used.

http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/american-colonials-struggle-against-british-empire-1765-1775

As an inspiration, I read up on Mahatma Gandhi's great act of nonviolent protest, his form of civil disobedience.  From March to April of 1930, Gandhi led a 240 mile march, followed by tens of thousands to the town of Dandi on the Arabian Sea.  In defiance of heavily taxed salt, Gandhi took some sea water, boiled it down and made salt.  This was 'illegal' per British law because, of course, the British trading companies wanted Indians to buy their salt and Britain wanted the revenues that taxing this ubiquitous ingredient would generate.  Gandhi, with this simple act, taught Indians how to resist and ultimately break the British Empire's hold on India.  

Although I do not believe, in my heart of hearts that we will ever come to this, I want to share a famous Gandhi quote with you:

"For this cause I am willing to die.  But, my friends, there is no cause for which I am willing to kill."