[edit] Guide Note
Nonviolence rejects the use of physical violence opting instead for activism to encourage social change. 1
Therefore it is not synonymous with pacifism, but rather an alternative to accepting oppression and the often militaristic struggle against it.
[edit] Fast Facts
- Mahatma Gandhi (profiled in the critically acclaimed movie, Gandhi), Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cesar Chavez, advocated for nonviolence
- Those practicing nonviolence may endorse social change, civil disobedience, and nonviolent direct action2
- The "Velvet Revolution" refers to a nonviolent revolution in Czech Republic, which saw the overthrow of Communism3
- According to Cesar Chavez, nonviolence is not inaction4
[edit] Key Dates
- 1939: Ghandi wrote "Quit India" as a cry for Indian independence during WWII
- 1966: Martin Luther King, Jr. began trying to spread the civil rights movement north
- 1958-9: Cesar Chavez begins organizing workers' marches and strikes
- 1989: Overthrow of Communist party in Czechoslovakia by nonviolent revolution
[edit] Quotes
"Non-violence is hard work.It is the willingness to sacrifice.It is the patience to win."—Cesar Chavez5 6
“Nonviolence is not a garment to be put on and off at will. Its seat is in the heart, and it must be an inseparable part of our being.”—Gandhi7 8
“Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.”—Martin Luther King, Jr.9 10
