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War And Peace

Aug 19, 2014
by Caroline Miller
civil unrest, Drop Your Weapons, Erick Chenoweth, Maria J. Stephan, Tiananmen Square
4 Comments

Not long ago, one of  my Facebook friends threw up his hands, disgusted with the level of violence in the world.  “It’s time for the people to do something if our leaders can’t,” he declared.   Intrigued, I wrote back to ask what he had in mind, and like most of us who are disturbed by the turmoil around us, he hadn’t a clue. 

 According to Erick Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan, both scholars on international affairs, perhaps the best we can do is nothing or little.  Having studied how social change has occurred in societies throughout history, the authors have concluded that nonviolent resistance to the status quo is more effective than attempts at violent overthrow.  Resorting to violence, they point out, plays to an oppressive government’s strength and gives its leaders a reason to unleash their weapons and military power upon unarmed citizens. (“Drop Your Weapons,” by Eric Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan, Foreign Affairs, July/August 2014, pg. 106) 

 Peaceful  dissent, by way of contrast, allows broad participation among the citizenry. Women, children, even the old and infirm can participate in demonstrations or work stoppages, or boycotts, for example. (Ibid pg. 96)  Nonviolent movements also have an advantage because they are “not as reliant on outside support as armed ones are because what the protestors do not need is either troops or military arms.” (Ibid pg. 105)  Rather than supply weapons to assist civic protests, what civilians need at such times is  humanitarian assistance. (Ibid. pg. 106.)

 To succeed, peaceful protests take prolonged planning — which is why spontaneous ones, like the demonstrations at Tiananmen Square (1989) are likely to fail.  But even here, the story isn’t one of despair but of hope.   “From 1900 to 2006, countries that experienced failed nonviolent movements were still about four times as likely to ultimately transition to democracy as countries where resistance movements resorted to violence at the outset.” (Ibid pg. 98).  In fact, “Less than four percent of rebel victories in armed resistance struggles from 1900-2006 ushered in democracy within five years;  nearly half relapsed into civil war within ten”. (Ibid: pg. 103).

Perhaps when our passions demand a solution, we should practice patience.  If an idea touches enough hearts, no bullet will kill it.  If the goal of war is peace, then the direct path is to use non-violent means to achieve it.

Tianaman Square

Courtesy of Wikipedia.com

 

 

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4 Comments
  1. MaggiWhite August 19, 2014 at 8:34 am Reply
    I am personally opposed to our government's violent tendencies, both abroad and at home and totally agree with your point of view.
    • Caroline Miller August 19, 2014 at 9:16 am Reply
      I hope the sentiment builds everywhere, Maggi. We've had centuries of war. What has been gained?
  2. Bill Whitlatch August 19, 2014 at 9:09 am Reply
    Veteran for Peace
    • Caroline Miller August 19, 2014 at 9:14 am Reply
      So many who have experienced war share your view, Bill. Thank you for chiming in.

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Contact Caroline at

carolinemiller11@yahoo.com

Portland, Oregon author Caroline Miller had distinguished careers as an educator, union president, elected official and artist/advocate.

Her play, Woman on the Scarlet Beast, was performed at the Post5 Theatre, Portland, OR, January/February 2015

Caroline published a serialized novelette, Marie Eau-Claire, on the website, The Colored Lens.  She also published the story Gustav Pavel,  a parable about ordinary lives, choice and alternate potential, on the website Fixional.co.

Caroline has published four novels

  • Ballet Noir
  • Trompe l’Oeil
  • Gothic Spring
  • Heart Land

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