Non-Violence (DP IB Global Politics: HL): Revision Note

What is non-violence?

• Non-violence is the principled rejection of violence as a means of achieving political, social or personal goals

  • It is both a moral position and a practical strategy, rooted in the belief that lasting change is best achieved through peaceful means rather than force

• Non-violence exists on a spectrum, ranging from pacifism to active resistance

• Non-violent approaches are not passive

  • They require courage, discipline and a willingness to maintain peaceful conduct even in the face of opposition or provocation

• The concept has shaped some of the most significant political movements in modern history

  • E.g. Gandhi's independence campaign in India and the civil rights movement in the United States

Pacifism

• Pacifism is a moral position that rejects the use of violence to achieve goals

  • It is most often used to describe people who oppose war on moral grounds

• Critics of pacifism argue

  • It is unrealistic because sometimes violence is necessary to resolve conflict

  • It is dangerous as it undermines the authority of the state

• Pacifism can be seen as everything from a contextual personal choice to an absolute belief that violence must never be used

Types of pacifism

• Personal pacifism

  • Exercised by an individual person and is seen as their personal choice not to engage in a specific conflict

  • This can change according to the situation

    • In war, these people are sometimes referred to as conscientious objectors

• Relative pacifism

  • In very specific situations the use of violence can be morally justified but only if it can be proven that it will help more people than it hurts in the long run

• Absolute pacifism

  • All life is sacred, and deliberately inflicting harm on someone is always wrong

Active resistance and protest

• Active resistance means going beyond quietly refusing to participate in violence

  • It can be seen when people take deliberate, peaceful action to challenge injustice

• The ultimate goal of active resistance and protest is to bring about change

  • According to Erica Chenoweth, non-violent resistance and protest are the most effective ways to bring about change

    • States where non-violent resistance and protest was used to gain political rights were ten times more likely to be successful than those where violent resistance was used

    •  Using non-violent resistance is far more likely to  persuade people that a strong moral argument exists

Characteristics of active resistance

• If someone is doing something that is morally wrong, action must be taken, but the action must be non-violent

• Non-violence attempts to persuade government, society or individuals that what they are doing is wrong

• If people practice non-violence, they must remain peaceful even if violence is used against them

• Protest marches, demonstrations, boycotts and civil disobedience are commonly used to bring about change