Charles van Heck's Woodhull Journal

The other day I received permission from Canada Resist to republish this from their blog on Substack. There are lessons to learn from history. The question is whether or not we are willing to learn and apply those in this time of peril. I hope you, dear readers, will circulate this post

The Power of Nonviolent Resistance in Overthrowing Dictators

History shows that nonviolent resistance is often more effective than violent uprisings in toppling dictators. Research by Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan, published in Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict, analyzed 323 political movements from 1900 to 2006. Their findings were striking: nonviolent campaigns succeeded 53% of the time, compared to just 26% for violent ones.

So, what makes nonviolent resistance so powerful? Successful movements tend to rely on a mix of mass participation, strategic disruption, and coalition-building. Key tactics include:

1. Mass Protests and Demonstrations

Large-scale, sustained protests create pressure by making repression costly for the regime. A prime example is East Germany’s “Monday Demonstrations”, which started small but eventually drew over a million participants, playing a key role in the fall of the Berlin Wall.

2. Noncooperation: Strikes, Boycotts, and Civil Disobedience

Refusing to comply with government orders—whether through general strikes, economic boycotts, or workplace walkouts—can paralyze a dictatorship’s ability to function. The People Power movement in the Philippines used mass noncooperation to help bring down Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.

3. Creative and Symbolic Acts

Humor, art, and symbolic actions can erode a dictator’s legitimacy while mobilizing support. The act of physically dismantling the Berlin Wall became a defining moment in the collapse of East Germany’s authoritarian regime.

4. Building Broad Coalitions

The most effective movements unite diverse groups—workers, students, religious organizations, and opposition parties—under a common goal. A broad coalition makes it harder for the regime to isolate or suppress dissenters.

5. Undermining the Regime’s Pillars of Support

Dictatorships rely on institutions like the military, police, and business elites to stay in power. If these groups refuse to enforce repression or switch sides, the regime quickly weakens. In many revolutions, including Serbia’s 2000 overthrow of Slobodan Milošević, winning over the security forces was a decisive factor.

How Long Do Nonviolent Movements Take?

There’s no universal timeline, but successful nonviolent movements often take between 3 to 5 years. Peter Ackerman’s research highlights that sustained pressure and strategic planning are key to success. Some movements, like Sudan’s 1964 revolution, achieved victory in a matter of months, while others, such as the fight against apartheid in South Africa, took decades.

The Bottom Line

Nonviolent resistance isn’t just a moral stance—it’s a highly effective strategy. It works by mobilizing mass participation, disrupting the state’s ability to function, and breaking the loyalty of key supporters. History proves that when ordinary people refuse to cooperate with oppression, even the most entrenched dictatorships can fall.