Is non-violent resistance able to end aggression and wars? And are there times when violence is, in fact, necessary? Not all resistance is equal, and different circumstances may require different tactics. Non-violent movements are, for example, twice as effective as violent movements in campaigns seeking to remove authoritarian leaders or gain territorial independence. Yet, non-violence is still misunderstood and underestimated by a vast majority of people.

The American philosopher and gender theorist Judith Butler believes that non-violent resistance can be a strong and forceful political instrument to undermine sources of state power and bring about change.

This text and video is published under the Creative Commons License: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0. The name of the author/rights holder should be mentioned as followed. Author: Jovana Trifunovic and Igor Bararon / tippingpoint.net. Cover picture: video still of the video “Kids peace sign anti war protests”, Vietnam American parade, vintage film, home movie. Photo: POND5

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