The Failure of Nonviolence

The Failure of Nonviolence is a 2015 book written by Peter Gelderloos which heavily criticizes Pacifism.

Summary

Chapter 3: The Revolutions of Today

38 different 'uprisings' (mass protests, riots, uprisings and revolutions) from 1990 - 2014 and are examined, these events followed a mix of pacifist and non-pacifist strategies, and are compared for successfulness. Those evaluated include:

• Oka Uprising - non-pacifist and successful
• Zapatista Revolution - non-pacifist and successful
• Indonesian Uprising - non-pacifist and semi-successful
• Second Intifada - non-pacifist and unsuccessful
• Black Spring - non-pacifist and successful
• Argentinazo - non-pacifist and semi-successful
• Iraq War Protests - pacifist and unsuccessful
• Color Revolutions - pacifist and semi-successful
• Blue and Cedar Revolution - pacifist and semi-successful
• Banlieue Uprisings - non-pacifist and unsuccessful
• Bolivian Water and Gas War - non-pacifist and successful
• Tulip Revolution - pacifist and unsuccessful
• Oaxaca Revolution - non-pacifist and unsuccessful
• CPE Protests - non-pacifist and successful
• Saffron Revolution - pacifist and unsuccessful
• Greek Uprising - non-pacifist and semi-successful
• Bersih Rallies - pacifist and unsuccessful
• Guadeloupe Uprising - non-pacifist and successful
• UK Student Uprising - non-pacifist and semi-successful
• Tunisian Revolution - non-pacifist and semi-successful
• Egyptian Revolution - non-pacifist and semi-successful
• Libyan Revolution - non-pacifist and unsuccessful
• Syrian Revolution - non-pacifist and unsuccessful
• 15M Movement - non-pacifist and semi-successful
• UK Anti-Austerity Movement - pacifist and unsuccessful
• English Riots - non-pacifist and unsuccessful
• Occupy Movement - pacifist and unsuccessful
• Chilean Winter - non-pacifist and unsuccessful
• Quebec Student Uprising - non-pacifist and successful
• Gezi Park Uprising - non-pacifist and successful
• Passo Livre Uprising - non-pacifist and semi-successful
• Gamonal Uprising - non-pacifist and successful
• Can Vies Uprising - non-pacifist and successful
• Rojava Revolution - non-pacifist and successful
• Ferguson Uprising - non-pacifist and unsuccessful
• Hong Kong Democracy Protests - pacifist and unsuccessful
• Mapuche Uprising - non-pacifist and semi-successful

From an analysis of these 38 different uprisings, four conclusions were drawn.

1. Movements that use a diversity of tactics are overwhelmingly more effective at seizing and defending space, and using that autonomy to put new social relations into practice, whether through practices of self-organization, collective self-defense, the reanimation of indigenous ways of life, or collectivization and communization (ending the alienation of capitalist property, which dictates that everything an be bought and sold, and putting our resources in common in a spirit of mutual aid rather than profit).
2. Movements that use a diversity of tactics are more likely to spread, to inspire other people to take action, and they are much more likely than nonviolent movements to spread radical ideas and social critiques, whereas the majority of nonviolent movements are connected to populist complaints and watered-down slogans either lacking in social content or relying on the same social analysis disseminated by the mass media.
3. Nonviolent movements are exponentially more likely to receive substantial elite support. The primary case in which combative movements receive elite support is when they crop up in opposition to governments that are at odds with ruling states (as when NATO will support people rebelling against the Libyan government).
4. Excluding the achievement of free elections, which both combative and peaceful movements have proven effective at winning, movements that use a diversity of tactics have a better track record of achieving concrete gains.

External Links

• The Failure of Nonviolence (Chapters 1-4) at theanarchistlibrary