2010-2020 saw more mass protests around the world than at any other point in human history, but the societal changes that resulted were often the opposite of what protesters demanded. Author Vincent Bevins explains why.
We have tried some non-violent methods. It may not be the non-violent part that is causing them to be ineffective. It is possible to modify the tactics before abandoning peace.
We have also tried the violent option for instigating social change thousands of years. I am not convinced that the good to come from those historical examples outweighs the bad, or is even close. I am convinced that people who feel wronged often want equal or greater revenge and it is often targetted really poorly.
We have, that’s the problem
We have tried some non-violent methods. It may not be the non-violent part that is causing them to be ineffective. It is possible to modify the tactics before abandoning peace.
We have also tried the violent option for instigating social change thousands of years. I am not convinced that the good to come from those historical examples outweighs the bad, or is even close. I am convinced that people who feel wronged often want equal or greater revenge and it is often targetted really poorly.