When people wage Civil Resistance, they use tactics such as strikes, boycotts, mass protests, and many other nonviolent actions to withdraw their cooperation from an oppressive system.
Throughout history and in the present day, civil resistance movements have forced change to happen, even against powerful opponents who are willing to use violence.
Where has Civil Resistance Been Used?
Civil resistance has been waged in hundreds of societies and cultures around the world. It has been used for diverse purposes throughout history, such as:
Holding governments, corporations and other non-state actors accountable
Achieving women’s rights, minority rights, indigenous rights, labor rights, and democratic rights.
Anti-corruption and transparency campaigns
Self-determination struggles
Resisting foreign occupation
Campaigns for public and community safety and reducing deadly violence in conflict zones
Environmental sustainability and conservation
Land reform
Many other causes
What is the Record of Civil Resistance?
Not all civil resistance movements and campaigns succeed, but far more do succeed than is commonly assumed. What is their probability of success relative to other means of struggle? Recent award-winning research has compared the record of civil resistance movements and violent insurgencies that are confronting governments and seeking to achieve major objectives of either changing the government, seceding from a country, or ousting foreign occupiers. The results are clear:
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