Definition
Nonviolent resistance is the pursuit of political or social goals through organized methods that deliberately avoid physical force. Its tactics include strikes, boycotts, marches, civil disobedience, and the public refusal to obey unjust laws.
The approach was developed into a coherent strategy in the twentieth century, most famously by Mohandas Gandhi in the Indian independence movement and by Martin Luther King Jr. in the American civil rights movement.
Why it matters
How it works
Nonviolent resistance works by withdrawing the cooperation that all governments depend on. When enough people refuse to obey, pay, or work, the state cannot function normally. By accepting punishment without retaliation, protesters expose the injustice of the system and win sympathy from observers and even from members of the ruling group. The strategy seeks to convert or pressure opponents rather than destroy them, aiming for a durable political settlement.