Tags
Recently I read From Democracy to Dictatorship: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation by Gene Sharp. I’d like to write a review of this book, as it deserves its good reputation and wide distribution. Sharp’s book was originally published in Bangkok in 1993 by the Committee for the Restoration of Democracy in Burma. Since then the Albert Einstein Institution has overseen translation into many other languages. The book contains a powerful, persuasive statement of principles and actions required to establish freedom in a country ruled by a tyrannical government. The same principles and actions apply to formerly democratic countries that are headed toward tyrannical rule. In these cases, Sharp’s principles can prevent tyranny before it becomes established.
Sharp takes on a hard problem. Because the modern state holds a monopoly on the use of force – that is the definition of a state – political thinkers and leaders have not seen clearly how to defeat a tyranny. Force cannot work because the state has strength sufficient to destroy any organization that tries to use force against it. Non-violent protest seems to fail on the same count: the state can destroy any organization that tries to alter or abolish government without use of force. In the non-violent case, the state’s task seems too easy. If individuals or groups pose any kind of threat to the state or its power, you shoot them, imprison them, put them on trial, massacre them until they no longer threaten you. Consequently, political thinkers and leaders have not seen a clear path from dictatorship to democracy.
Sharp’s book maps out such a path. He explains why properly organized civil resistance renders a tyranny unable to exercise its illegitimate authority. He also explains how to practice civil resistance. Later he includes an appendix titled The Methods of Nonviolent Action. The appendix lists techniques citizens might use to resist tyrannical power. The headings below summarize these techniques:
Methods of Nonviolent Protest and Persuasion
Formal Statements
Communications with a Wider Audience
Group Representations
Symbolic Public Acts
Pressues on Individuals
Drama and Music
Processions
Honoring the Dead
Public Assemblies
Withdrawal and Renunciation
Methods of Social Non-Cooperation
Ostracism of Persons
Noncooperation with Social Events, Customs, and Institutions
Withdrawal from the Social System
Methods of Economic Noncooperation
Economic Boycotts
Action by Consumers
Action by Workers and Producers
Action by Middlemen
Actioin by Owners and Management
Action by Holders of Financial Resources
Action by Governments
The Strike
Symbolic Strikes
Agricultural Strikes
Strikes by Special Groups
Ordinary Industrial Strikes
Restricted Strikes
Multi-Industry Strikes
Combinations of STrikes and Economic Closures
Methods of Political Noncooperation
Rejection of Authority
Citizens’ Noncooperation with Government
Citizens’ Alternatives to Obedience
Action by Government Personnel
Domestic Governmental Action
International Governmental Action
Methods of Nonviolent Intervention
Psychological Intervention
Physical Intervention
Social Intervention
Economic Intervention
Political Intervention
This outline encompasses 198 specific types of action. Significantly, these methods have guided protesters across North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia as they have struggled to free themselves from political slavery and humiliation. They have shown how principles of non-violent civil resistance work in the messy, fearsome and opaque environments that tyrannies create. They have demonstrated that techniques of non-violent resistance are correct in principle, and effective in practice.
In addition Arizona Information Center views machine rack extras which will boost cooling down, including lovers,
housing blowers, and also tray ac units. Dream – Host is
an online hosting company that offers products like domain registration, shared website hosting, Virtual Private Server (VPS),
and public cloud services. Japanese Gardens – Although the gardens are technically in Fort Worth,
Texas, it is only a short drive.