A commonly held
myth is that war concludes well with peace. In
fact, conflict research shows that the losing
side may accept defeat in a public-facing
manner, only to fester and plot to get revenge
later.
Violence
and war generally lead to further violence and
war. Although it may lead to short-term
“peace,” violent conflict rarely works to
build sustained peace.
The
exceptions, writes Princeton
professor Jean Arnault, are peace treaties
that are not retributive or humiliating:
One
approach, perhaps best described as
“constitutive,” views the substance of the
peace agreement as key to the overall process,
which will reflect its strengths and
weaknesses, virtues and shortcomings. A “good”
agreement will result in durable peace; a
“bad” agreement will result in delays,
setbacks, or even the collapse of the peace
process.
But
what if the war could have been avoided in the
first place?
It
is true that conflict is inevitable. War and
violence are not. Where violence leaves
winners and losers, constructive ends that
foster working relationships are never
constructed from violence. It is nonviolent
action that produces working relationships.
Nonviolent action as a response to conflict is
essential to building and sustaining a culture
of peace. But what is nonviolence? When has
nonviolence been successful? And how does it
contribute to building sustainable peace?
Nonviolence
is, according to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "a
courageous confrontation of evil by the
power of love".
It
is the reaction to violence through nonviolent
acts. One does not surrender to violence, but
uses alternative methods in response to it.
Numerous
examples point to successful nonviolent
movements.
1. The 1979 revolution
in Iran toppled
the Shah through nonviolent methods
of protesting. Although what came out
of the revolution was a theocracy, the
revolution itself was nonviolent.
2. The Egyptian
revolution in 2011
ousted Egyptian President Hosni
Mubarak. For 18 days, the people of
Egypt revolted nonviolently until
President Mubarak stood down.
3. People Power
Revolution in the
Philippines saw nonviolent
demonstrations lead directly to the
departure of Ferdinand Marcos, the
prevention of a civil war that seemed
inevitable, and regaining democracy in
their country.
4. The Cedar
Revolution in Lebanon was
a
series of nonviolent demonstrations
with the goal of forcing Syria
to
withdraw its military troops from the
country. This goal was achieved as
Syrian troops left Lebanon on April 27,
2005.
Indeed,
there is empirical
research by
Harvard professor Erica Chenoweth and former
State Department official Maria Stephan on the
many cases in which nonviolent insurgency
overthrew dictatorships at success rate nearly
double that of successful violent uprisings.
It
is evident here that civil resistance and
nonviolence have generated enough power to
create change in society.
There
are more
than 300 different
methods of civil resistance or nonviolence. It
is more than just protest, but statements,
boycotts, strikes, walk-outs, teachings,
noncooperation, and much more.
Key
to nonviolence is the strain it creates on the
ruling elites that challenges the dominant
structure. Collective social strain forces
leaders, militaries, and perpetrators to
change their methods. In the Chenoweth and
Stephan study, they found that if 3.5 percent
of a population become involved participants
in a nonviolent campaign, the likelihood of
success is almost guaranteed. Imposing costs
on those in power can be done without shooting
anyone.
With
this, power is taken from the few, and the
power is dispersed among the people. Because
of this, nonviolence also can contribute to
building democratic societies.
Nonviolence
is the answer to
the increased international crises of the
world. One suggestion I can offer is to learn
about past and present nonviolent campaigns
and teach the people around you. Once the
world knows about the power of nonviolence,
ideally, they will see it as a viable, and
vital, option in the face of conflict.
To quote Martin
Luther King Jr, “At the
center of
nonviolence stands the principle
of love.”
