By Nicolás Paz*
We live in a world and a culture that legitimizes violence. Gaza, Ukraine, and the rearmament of Europe are only the most visible examples. Yet we must not forget other parts of the world that also suffer from violence and remain largely invisible—places like Sudan, Myanmar, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the face of these realities, can nonviolent resistance still offer an effective response?
The term “nonviolence” was introduced by Gandhi. It comes from the Sanskrit word ahimsa, meaning the complete absence of the desire for violence. It represents a response to complex, violent sociopolitical scenarios—a solution grounded in solidarity and a constructive vision for the future in times of conflict. The word nonviolence is not universally accepted, but we have not been able to find a different term that truly captures the depth of the concept.
Talking about nonviolent resistance may sound utopian or simply naive, especially when conflicts are severe or when the “enemy” has already resorted to violence. But what do recent studies say on the matter?
Research by professors Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan debunks the common belief in favor of violence. Their work shows that “historically, nonviolent resistance campaigns have been more effective in achieving their goals than violent resistance campaigns.”
Not Just Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.
“This has been the case even under conditions in which most people would expect nonviolent resistance to be futile,” the same researchers point out.
Few people are familiar with the tools of nonviolent resistance beyond references to historical figures like Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr.
Except for activists deeply committed to nonviolence and the academics and researchers studying it, the broad audience has had little exposure to reports like that of professor and researcher Felipe Daza. Conducted between February and June 2022, his report documents 235 nonviolent civil resistance actions in Ukraine against the Russian invasion.
A Map of Nonviolent Dissent in Ukraine and More
Professor Daza’s research includes an interactive map highlighting these actions and their geographic context. The report identifies boycotts of multinational companies, protest graffiti, symbolic acts, public employee sit-ins, civil disobedience, and interventions in Russian army communications as examples of these efforts.
The same applies to the publication Confronting the Caliphate, led by Professor Isak Svensson, which covers widespread and diverse nonviolent resistance to the Islamic State.
Gene Sharp documented 198 methods of nonviolent action in his classic work From Dictatorship to Democracy. Michael A. Beer expanded on Sharp’s work, cataloging a total of 346 methods.
Contrary to myths and preconceived notions, these references prove that we are not talking about something passive or limited to protests or good intentions and speeches. Nonviolence comprises a complete set of effective strategies, tactics, methods, and tools.
A growing body of theoretical and practical knowledge, supported by empirical research exists in addition to the existing historiography, philosophy, and theology of nonviolence. Teaching about nonviolence in schools and universities would help shift the collective imagination surrounding violence and nonviolence.
The Rich History of Nonviolence
Students should have the opportunity to learn about and reflect on past experiences of nonviolence. For example, the teachers’ strikes in Norway to prevent the implementation of the Nazi curriculum during World War II, or the People Power movement in the Philippines that overthrew a dictatorship in the 1980s. Not to mention the Serbian movement Otpor, which contributed to the fall of Milošević in 2000.
Other, more recent examples are equally relevant, such as the nonviolent struggle for the disappeared people in El Salvador, Mexico, and other Latin American countries, or the nonviolent resistance against electoral fraud in Venezuela.
In today’s climate of militarism—where war and violence seem inevitable—it is especially necessary to make this knowledge, as well as the effectiveness of nonviolent strategies and tools, visible and accessible to a broader audience and, particularly, to decision-makers in security and defense.
To do otherwise is to turn our backs on knowledge and let ourselves be guided by a mythological, pre-scientific way of thinking about war and violence.
A Military Testimony in Favor of Nonviolence
Captain Daniel Moriarty, a U.S. civil affairs special operations officer with experience in Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf, stated back in 2022 that the utility of nonviolent civil resistance is greatly undervalued.
“Despite its historically higher success rates than armed resistance or insurgent campaigns, it occupies a marginal space in military publications on resistance”, he noted in an article on the war in Ukraine published by The Civil Affairs Association.
Scientific evidence refutes the popular belief: the strategies and tools of nonviolent resistance are more effective than violent means. And still, we live in a violent world. Precisely for this reason, ignoring the contributions of nonviolence is a mistake.
* Associate Professor. Mediator, Pontifical University of Salamanca. Director of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative program. Member of Pax Christi International.
