This guy has documented successful non-violent opposition to coup d’etats. There is another way. War is not the answer. From the Wall Street Journal today:
In his writings, Mr. Sharp teased out common principles that make nonviolent resistance successful, creating a broad road map for activists looking to destabilize authoritarian regimes. Mr. Sharp’s magnum opus, the 902-page “Politics of Nonviolent Action,” was published in 1973. But the main source of his success is his 90-page “From Dictatorship to Democracy.”
This slim volume offers concise advice on how to plan a successful opposition campaign, along with a list of historically tested tactics for rattling a dictatorial regime. Aimed at no particular country, and easily downloadable from the Internet, the booklet has found universal appeal among opposition activists around the globe.
Though he warns readers that resistance may provoke violent crackdowns and will take careful planning to succeed, Mr. Sharp writes that any dictatorship will eventually collapse if its subjects refuse to obey.
He offers a list of 198 methods of nonviolent action, like the staging of mock elections to poke fun at problems like vote-rigging, using funerals to make political statements and adopting symbolic colors, a la Orange Revolution in the Ukraine. Less conventional tactics include skywriting political messages and “protest disrobings.”
Here’s the link to his booklet:The Anti Coup. It outlines the way to prevent coup d’etats and how to fight them successful, all non-violently.
1 response so far ↓
1 Idea Man // Sep 15, 2008 at 10:40 am
The CIA also published a simple, DIY, “how-to” manual for citizens wishing to overthrow local governments…it is non-violent in the sense that it does not advocate killing people…
“The following pages present a series of useful sabotage techniques, the majority of which can be done with simple household tools such as scissors, empty bottles, screw-drivers, matches etcetera.”
“These measure are extremely safe and without risk to those who use them as they do not require equipment,skills or specialised activities which can draw attention to the operator.”
“One combatant is able to make many of these without having to turn to collaborators or making detailed plans beforehand.”
“These are acts which can be carried out in an improvised way any time an opportunity presents itself.”
Re-designed plan to apply to any government:
http://flickr.com/photos/mickie/sets/983397/
Original CIA document, focused on Nicaragua:
http://geocities.com/eco-action/crapaganda/xcia.htm
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