Key Messages
How To Change The World With Nonviolent Revolution: Learn The Strategies Used By Activists Around The Globe
Discover the tried and tested nonviolent means to bring about revolutionary change!
You can make a difference without resorting to violence and destruction: just look at examples like Gandhi’s successful struggle against the British, or the overthrow of Serbian dictator Slobodan Milošević.
In Srdja Popovic’s revolutionary book “Blueprint for Revolution”, you’ll find sections that explore successful strategies of how political activists have been able to stand up against oppressive powers – all nonviolent approaches that can be used by anyone, anywhere.
The book will also teach you about the “pillars of power” and how to shake them; include humor as a revolutionary tool; and explain why actions rooted in nonviolence are always more effective than those based on violence.
So if you’re looking for a way to make an impactful difference without going down dangerous paths, then this is it.
Winning Small Victories And Listening To The People: How Revolutionaries Get Their Foot In The Door
Starting a revolution requires more than just an inspiring speech – it requires action.
The key to beginning a successful revolutionary movement is to pick small, winnable battles that draw attention and build support for the cause.
We can see this in history when we look at figures such as Gandhi, whose long march to Indian independence began with one small action: the Salt March of 1930.
This march was a response to high-taxes on salt imposed by the British Empire.
By aware of people’s need for salt, Gandhi began a month-long journey and was joined by 12,000 other supporters along the way, which forced the empire to drop its tax.
Harvey Milk also saw success through picking smaller battles and winning them.
Initially he thought messaging alone could launch his career but two losses in elections later, he realised he had to focus his campaigns on something all San Franciscans could relate to – dog poop!
Through this he gained momentum and recognition, which eventually led him to be elected into office in 1977.
So if you’re looking to revolutionise an idea or setting – start small and make sure your battle is one that you can win!
A Vision Of The Future Is Key For A Movement To Inspire Action
Successful political movements know that the key to gaining support and inspiring action is to provide a vision of the future that people can believe in.
For example, when faced with the authoritarian rule of Slobodan Milošević in Serbia, the members of the Otpor!
movement had an ambitious goal in mind: they wanted Serbia to be open to the world.
With this enticing dream before them, more and more citizens joined their cause until their hopes were finally realized when Milošević was overthrown in 2000.
The same can be said for the South Asian island nation, Maldives.
In 2008, as they prepared for their first democratic election in 30 years, members of the opposition sought out a vision that would galvanize voters.
After travelling through some remote areas of Maldives where elderly people had nothing but poverty and depression to look forward to, it became apparent that a welfare system for pensions and health care was needed for these citizens.
The opposition presented this vision along with free servings of rice pudding and it helped them win elections against long-standing dictator Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s regime.
In both cases it is clear that successful political movements rely on offering inspiring visions of a better future if they want to gain supporters and ultimately reach their goals.
Identifying And Neutralizing A Regime’S Pillars Of Power Are Essential Steps Towards Unseating A Dictator
Toppling a dictator is no easy task.
It requires an intimate understanding of the structures that prop him up and the financial sources he relies on.
According to political scientist Gene Sharp, dictators employ supporters he calls pillars of power in order to maintain their regime – and it’s important to identify these materials if you are to successfully challenge their rule.
It might be shareholders and media outlets that sway stock prices for large corporations; tribal elders supporting smaller African villages; leaders patronising a political party; or providers of economic resources like foreign investors who fund dictators like Syria’s Bashar al-Assad.
By targeting these influencers, nonviolent regulations can potentially chip away at key parts of the dictator’s support structure, weakening them and making them more vulnerable to collapse.
This tactic was employed by activists in Syria who attempted to earn bad press for firms aiding Assad’s regime by highlighting their cooperation with it – hoping that such negative attention would spur the companies into closing operations in Syria rather than continue doing business there.
Sadly, this effort has been stonewalled due to the devastating civil war which engulfed Syria.
Activists Are Utilizing Humor To Build The Resistance By Ridiculing Regimes And Making Them Look Insignificant
Humor is an incredibly powerful tool in the activist’s arsenal when it comes to building the resistance.
It may sound counterintuitive at first, but a clever use of humor can actually be even more effective at drawing attention to political issues than more serious methods.
Take for example Otpor!’s famous baseball bat and oil barrel stunt, which was a hilarious take on Milošević’s regime.
When the police were called in to take action, they had no choice but to arrest the innocent citizens or…the old oil barrel itself.
It was an ingenious move that quickly turned the tables and reminded everyone that the police weren’t so intimidating after all.
But comedy can also be used as a form of subterfuge.
In Poland, Solidarity used all red clothing and mocking language to hold a rally during their communist regime without getting arrested by authorities.
And in Barnaul, Russian protestors were able to hold up protest signs using harmless Lego figures which couldn’t be reprimanded by the authorities.
Clearly, humor is a powerful tool for fighting back against oppressive regimes and helping activists make their voices heard loudly and clearly.
How Protestors Can Force Governments To Change Through Non-Violent Resistance
The Blueprint for Revolution book illustrates how oppressive measures can sometimes backfire on those enforcing them.
Take, for example, the Saffron Revolution in Burma.
In September 2007, over 400 monks marched to protest against the military regime, despite its strict ban on public demonstrations.
The regime reacted with brutal force, killing dozens of monks and arresting thousands more — which only drove the people to take stronger action and kick off the revolution.
And then there’s what happened in Subotica, a town under the control of Milošević’s oppressive rule.
A sadistic police officer named Ivan was known for viciously beating members of Otpor!
In response, local activists put up posters around town that called Ivan out by name and asked why he was beating their kids.
Soon enough, everyone in town – even those closest to him – began avoiding Ivan and his family like the plague.
Without anyone standing up for him, Ivan’s reign of terror came to an end.
These examples show that when it comes to oppression and authoritarianism, enforced compliance oftentimes doesn’t last as long as expected.
When it comes to pushing back against dictators or repressive regimes, even small gestures can make a big difference.
Nonviolent Revolutions Are More Effective Than Violent Ones: Here’S Why
Nonviolent revolutions are always more effective than violent ones, according to a wealth of historical knowledge and data.
A 2011 study by Erica Chenoweth and Maria J.
Stephan found that peaceful forms of resistance have much higher chances of creating vibrant democracies than uprisings based on violence.
They calculated that countries experiencing such non-violent revolutions had as much as a 40 percent chance of remaining democratic five years post-conflict.
This rate dropped drastically to just 5 percent when the revolution used violence.
While peaceful revolutions don’t cause the same destruction of property and carnage as those based on violence, their actual effects are far greater.
Large numbers of people can join their cause since ordinary citizens – including elderly people and children – do not have to fear for their lives if they take part in them.
As a result, nonviolent revolution are known to draw mass support and gain considerable power from it.
It’s clear then that while violence may seem like an easier solution, it is less successful in the long run than nonviolent protests that work towards an inspiring vision of change.
Wrap Up
Blueprint for Revolution is a book that encourages people to create a better future without resorting to violence.
The key message of the book is that protest movements are most powerful when they have a vision that everyday people can work towards and believe in.
The book outlines actionable steps on how to create change, and emphasizes the importance of creativity and getting out there on the streets.
It motivates us to take responsibility for our own lives, and inspire others with the promise of a better tomorrow.
By working together, we can truly make a difference in our world!
