NonviolentNonviolent StruggleStruggle
News from The Albert Einstein Institution vol. 7, no. 1 Fall 2000
A Force More Powerful to Air September 18 and 25 New Documentary on Nonviolent Struggle ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○ Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent A Conflict, a new two- part documentary, will premier IN THIS ISSUE on PBS stations on Mondays, New Documentary September 18 and 25 at 9:00 P.M. ET (check local listings). ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Dalai Lama Writes The riveting three-hour Foreword to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ documentary—narrated by New Einstein Institution Academy Award winning actor Book in Tibetan Ben Kingsley—explores how, during a century of extreme New Ethnic Language Pamphlets in Burma violence, millions around the world chose to battle the forces Einstein Fellow Clark's of oppression and brutality with New Book on nonviolent weapons—and won. Civil Resistance in A co-production for PBS by Kosovo York Zimmerman Inc. and WETA of Washington, DC, A Sharp Receives Lifetime Achievement Award Force More Powerful is written and produced by award- South Africa Program winning filmmaker Steve York. Books Published Einstein Institution Board member Peter Ackerman is the New Report on series editor and its principal Activities content advisor. Jack DuVall is the executive producer for the documentary, Miriam Zim- merman its managing producer, Dalton Delan its executive in charge of production. member Peter Ackerman and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ archival film research by the Acclaimed filmmaker Steve former Einstein Institution filmmakers. York bypasses the clichés that President Christopher Kruegler The new PBS series is the commonly surround nonviolent developed in their book centerpiece of a global media The movements and skillfully Strategic Nonviolent Conflict and educational project portrays the hard-edged (1994). intended to elevate understand- Albert planning, strategy, and disci- The Einstein Institution is ing of how nonviolent action pline that often determine one of a number of underwrit- can succeed in overturning Einstein success or failure. The film also ers for the television series. In dictators and securing democ- ○○○○○○○○○○○ Institution gives voice to several pioneer- addition, the Institution racy and human rights. St. ing, though lesser known, contributed extensive research Martin’s Press has just pub- 427 Newbury Street leaders of these powerful materials and comments to the lished a companion book of the Boston, MA 02115 USA nonviolent campaigns. filmmakers during the film’s same name by Peter Ackerman voice: 617.247.4882 The idea for the film research phase. In 1997 the and Jack DuVall. fax: 617.247.4035 emerged from several of the Institution received a grant e-mail: [email protected] themes and case studies that from the U.S. Institute of Peace www.aeinstein.org Einstein Institution Board to coordinate preliminary More on the FILM, p. 2 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ hen A Force More ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ project germinated a quarter ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ began to wonder about conflicts An Interview Powerful: A Century century ago with my doctoral in which the asymmetry was Wof Nonviolent dissertation: “Strategic Aspects total—that is to say, when one with the Conflict premieres on PBS on of Nonviolent Resistance side fighting for their lives, Mondays September 18 and 25 Movements.” This served as the freedom, or rights had no viable Creators of at 9:00 p.m. (ET, check local starting point for a book I co- military option whatsoever. listings), it will showcase six authored with Christopher What did they do? In many victorious campaigns that Kruegler in 1994, Strategic places, they used nonviolent A Force changed the course of history Nonviolent Conflict. Jack strategies, including strikes, during the 20th century. It will DuVall brought the book to noncooperation, and an infinite More also reflect the passionate Steve York’s attention; Steve variety of protests and even interest and dedicated work of believed these stories would nonviolent sabotage. Powerful series editor, principal content offer gripping material for a In the 1980s, these nonvio- advisor, and Einstein Institution documentary. lent techniques came increas- Board member, Peter As a graduate student at the ingly into play as country after Ackerman, and award-winning Fletcher School of Law and country was transformed into a filmmaker Steve York. In the Diplomacy in the late sixties working democracy, culminat- following interview, they and early seventies, I was ing with the fall of the Berlin discuss the series origin, interested in “asymmetric Wall and the victory over messages, and goals. conflicts,” where one side had apartheid in South Africa. To the preponderance of military my way of thinking there was Q: How did A Force More power but still lost. New factors not enough acknowledgment Powerful get started? were in play that were more by foreign policy elites that psychological and political than these were not isolated events. Ackerman: In a sense, the material. Guerrilla warriors like These were successful “wars,” Ho Chi Minh and Che but the brilliant part was that Striking for free trade unions, workers Guevara were, for many in the winning sides weren’t flash a "victory" sign in Gdansk, liberation movements, the fighting with guns and bombs Poland 1980. heroes then. At that time, I but with innovative nonviolent Photo Credit: Erazm Ciolek
A Force More Powerful uses stunning archival footage ♦ The courage and endurance of Denmark’s to present six stories of successful movements around citizens during the Nazi occupation of World War II. Their noncooperation undermined the world. Each includes interviews with witnesses, Nazi attempts to exploit Denmark for food survivors and unsung heroes who contributed to and war materiel. In addition to committing these century-changing events. The stories include: sabotage and staging general strikes, the Danes’ underground resistance rescued all ♦ The 1960 Nashville, Tennessee campaign to but a few hundred of Denmark’s seven thou- desegregate the city's downtown business sand Jews from the Holocaust. district, which profiles the Rev. James ♦ Lawson Jr., who studied Gandhi’s techniques The 1980 Gdansk Shipyard strike that won in India and later joined forces with Martin Poles the right to organize free trade unions Luther King Jr. His intensive workshops on launched the Solidarity movement and cata- nonviolent resistance drove the sit-ins and pulted Lech Walesa, a shipyard electrician, boycotts and became what King called “the on a path of leadership—and led to the fall of model of the movement.” communism in Poland and the election of Walesa to the presidency of the country. ♦ Mohandas Gandhi’s famous Salt March of ♦ 1930, during which he enjoined Indians to The national protest days led by Chilean protest the British salt monopoly—a turning copper miners in 1983 showed that public point that paved the way for India’s inde- opposition to the dictatorship of Gen. pendence from Britain. Gandhi steered a Augusto Pinochet was possible. Brutally shrewdly strategic, ever-escalating course suppressed, opposition forces persisted and of “noncooperation” with British rule. eventually removed Pinochet’s military government in a 1988 referendum. ♦ The consumer boycott campaigns against apartheid in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa in the mid 1980s, led by the young Mkhuseli Jack—radicalized at the age of 18 by laws that kept him from enrolling in school. These and other campaigns proved instrumental in defeating apartheid and freeing Nelson Mandela.
2 Nonviolent Struggle methods. Sure there was ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Nonviolent action always ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ violence happening all over the has the potential to prevail world in the 20th century, but against ruthless opponents nonviolent power was prevail- because it can be conducted on ing too. a huge scale and involves every citizen who wants to play a Q: How do you put all that part. Its techniques flow from scholarship and strategy on the disruption of the everyday screen and do people want to normalities that the tyrant see that? counts on to maintain power. You see it time and again, in York: What you put on screen India, in Poland, in Chile, in are stories and people. You South Africa—millions of show ideas personified. The people became part of these Danish women publicly celebrate their patriotism in protest drama is in the history. When I movements as much as by what of the German occupation of Denmark during WWII. was in India, I walked along the they refused to do as by what Photo credit: Museum of Danish Resistance dusty road leading to the beach they did. where Gandhi broke the salt That is not to say that law. It looks about the same as nonviolent conflict is easy to and-out tyranny, but rather ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ it did in 1930 and it’s nothing wage. It involves willingness to than subduing people, repres- special, but what Gandhi did suffer and to be hurt but not to sion often energizes them. It there is remarkable, and it gives retaliate and cause others to rouses public sentiment from the place a quiet sense of power. hurt. Gandhi often said there the center, the core, that Website I’m not talking about the kind were many things he was moderate middle that won’t act A comprehensive website of power we associate with willing to die for, but nothing until the extremes are cast into for the film with program synopses, timelines, maps, presidents or prime ministers; I he was willing to kill for. In dramatic relief. The tide turned mean the power of moral nonviolent conflict, people are interviews, and curricu- in Nashville, for example, when lum materials can be courage, and personal action. willing to be beaten, or jailed, the home of a prominent black found at I’m still amazed at what or even killed, and they will lawyer was bombed. Such acts James Lawson, at the age of 30, only defend themselves with of violence fueled the nonvio- www.pbs.org/weta/ was able to accomplish in their convictions, their willing- lent ranks of the civil rights forcemorepowerful Nashville in 1960, and what ness to persevere and the force movement, rallied the African- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Video Mkhuseli Jack accomplished in of their strategy. The result of American community, engaged South Africa in the early 1980s this discipline, over time, is to The video is available in the white community, and both home and educa- at the age of 27. They’re not make the aggressor see that caught the attention of media tional/audio-visual considered “powerful” people, what he wins militarily or and government, because the versions from: even today, but they understood through terror he cannot keep contrast was devastating. the power of ideas. Being in the for very long without massively Films for the Humanities and Sciences presence of people like that is increasing the resources Q: So why, as you claim, is an incredible reminder that required to suppress all aspects PO Box 2053 nonviolent action so misunder- Princeton, NJ 08543-2053 ideas matter, and that human of civil society. stood and under appreciated? USA intelligence and ingenuity can Toll Free: 1.800.257.5126 prevail. York: Nonviolent movements Ackerman: Several reasons, but Fax: 1.609.275.3767 web: www.films.com often form in response to out- I think the main one is that Q: Why does nonviolent government wages war, or some conflict work? Companion Book organized authority uses The companion book to violence, whereas nonviolent the series is available Ackerman: Part of the underly- action is a diffused people’s through direct order from ing force of nonviolent action, and so it’s not easily seen St. Martin's Press by calling Roxanne Hunte at resistance is that people who and followed. And because, in undertake it believe wholeheart- 1.800.221.7945, x270. small groups, people can be Advance credit card edly in what they’re doing, brought out to protest almost orders will receive a 20% because they deeply feel the anything, there’s a “fringe discount off the retail justice of their cause. In price. contrast, conventional warfare See INTERVIEW, p. 4 is often waged for greedy, aggressive purposes and fought Mkhuseli Jack, who lead a consumer by persons who have been boycott against apartheid South Africa, speaks at a memorial service in Port conscripted into the fight by Elizabeth January 4, 1986. their government. Photo credit: Eastern Cape Herald
Fall 2000 3 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ INTERVIEW continued from p. 3 element” that taints some of these ideas. For example, I heard Dalai Lama Writes recently that certain animal rights activists protested an episode of the Survivor TV show because someone on the program roasted a Foreword to rat for dinner, and these protestors were defending the rights of rats. Now the animal rights people have actually waged a very Gene Sharp's New successful campaign over the past 20 years to get people to stop wearing fur, to lessen cruelty to animals in mean and gratuitous Book in Tibetan ways, to make people more sensitive to the feelings and lives of other creatures besides humans, and that’s a good thing. But then you get a bunch of people marching in front of CBS screaming ibetan spiritual and “Save the Rats,” the media jump on it and people think: “Aha! political leader His Crazy activists.” So there’s this impression that the only bona fide T Holiness the Dalai power struggles are those that are fought militarily and that Lama has written the Foreword nonviolent strategy can only be used by powerless fringe groups, to our first publication in which are barely tolerated in benign societies. Tibetan—Gene Sharp’s The the Tibetan Parliamentary and Another important aspect of why nonviolent conflict is Power and Practice of Nonviolent Policy Research Centre misunderstood and under-appreciated is because it’s so diverse in Struggle. “I congratulate and (TPPRC) in New Delhi. The its practice and methods and participants. The media (much less commend the publication of TPPRC coordinated the book’s historians) don’t know how to recognize where it is operating. If this book about nonviolent publication and has distributed country A sends troops into country B, the sides are clearly struggle, written by Dr. Gene the work to Tibetan leaders, defined and, literally, the battle lines are drawn. If you’re not Sharp,” he stated. “I expect that schools, organizations, and dealing with international conflict between huge armies, but the publication of this work on activists. rather with efforts to undermine the entrenched power of the nonviolent action in the The Venerable Samdhong autocrat or invader, and you combine that with cumulative action Tibetan language will become Rinpoche, Chairman of the by many people on many fronts—a boycott here, a demonstration an instrument that will widely Assembly of Tibetan People’s there, a petition, a work-slowdown—the location is no longer open the door of knowledge of Deputies (Tibet’s parliament- clear. Where do the media send the cameras, or how does a the Tibetan people on the in-exile) and Chairman of the historian frame a simple narrative? subject.” ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ TPPRC, wrote an Introduction ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ “These are powerful stories — a Our first Tibetan publica- to the book as well. tion, expertly translated by Interest in a Tibetan lan- Q: The media often focus on dissolving evil, and life eclipsing Pema Tsewang Shastri, was guage book on nonviolent leaders. Is that a good way to oppression, and the world of the 2 published earlier this year by struggle arose from a series of delve into nonviolent move- intensive workshops the ments? more humane if it heeds t Einstein Institution has — Jimmy Carter, former P Sharp Receives conducted for Tibetan leaders Ackerman: There are two Lifetime Achievement and activists over the past important things about several years. leadership in these conflicts. Award The Power and Practice of One is that the leaders themselves are often reluctant leaders and Nonviolent Struggle includes a even more reluctant heroes. They’re not power mad, they’re not condensed treatment of the core looking for glory—some of them don’t especially want to be n April 1999, Gene analysis contained in Dr. leaders; they just want to stop the tyranny or the inequity, Sharp was awarded the Sharp’s three-volume work The whatever. Which brings us to the second point, which is that I Peace Studies Lifetime Politics of Nonviolent Action, when there is no clear leadership, movements lose their focus and Achievement Award at the and it is augmented by a series momentum. 11th Annual Peace Studies of brief accounts of nonviolent Association meeting held at struggle around the world. The York: The American civil rights movement has become identified Siena College in New York. work also includes additional with Martin Luther King Jr., who was a phenomenal leader—but The award recognizes Dr. chapters on political applica- the fact is, he wasn’t alone. In Nashville, Jim Lawson and Bernard Sharp's decades-long inquiry tions and strategic planning for Lafayette were central to the Nashville protests. Lawson was, in into the nature and dynamics nonviolent struggle. Dr. Sharp fact, one of the architects of the civil rights movement, because he of nonviolent struggle. is in the process of editing trained students and other demonstrators in nonviolent tactics In acceptance, Dr. Sharp further accounts and develop- that he himself learned from Gandhi’s people in India. But in presented an overview paper ing additional chapters that will many nonviolent conflicts, a paramount leader may not be of his work entitled "Devel- be included in future editions. necessary, because ordinary people on their own initiative can take oping a Realistic Alternative nonviolent action. to War and Other Violence."
4 Nonviolent Struggle ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ South Africa Program Books Published
n January 1993, the Albert Einstein Institu- I tion officially launched the South Africa Program at the University of the Witwatersrand Chileans march in support of the "No" vote in Johannesburg. Two years of against the dictator Pinochet in 1988. prior research and interviews, Photo credit: Corbis which included Nelson Q: Both of you speak exclusively of nonviolent conflict, nonvio- Mandela and other top South lent action, but you never use the terms “nonviolence” or “passive African leaders and scholars, resistance.” Why? revealed an important finding: while South African activists Ackerman: This is something I feel strongly about. It’s not a felt deeply proud of their broader ebb and flow of mass- semantic distinction; it’s the critical difference between action and heritage of and participation in based struggles. By late 1980, inaction. What Gandhi did and what the people in Chile did and the liberation struggle, they did civics had mushroomed what Lech Walesa did was anything but passive. They didn’t just not view nonviolent direct throughout the country. sit there. They went out and did proactive things. They held action as a field for systematic Adopting a policy of “making strikes and they organized boycotts and they put themselves in analysis or implementation. the townships ungovernable,” harm’s way precisely because their actions punished their military Activists had not used their members organized street oppressors. You can attach the word “nonviolent” to all kinds of detailed knowledge to assess committees to counter state initiatives, including unorthodox techniques of seeking influence objectively methods, failures, security measures and mounted in a parliamentary setting. But the term, nonviolent conflict and successes—assessments the campaigns of rent, bus, and makes it clear that you’re Albert Einstein Institution consumer boycotts. Relying talking about using nonviolent believed could provide valuable predominantly on nonviolent about truth overcoming lies, love weapons, nonviolent activism, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ insight to the broader study of direct action, civics were to in the most serious battles for nonviolent struggle. form one of the strongest
death. Nonviolent valor can end fundamental human rights. The Program embarked on ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ weapons against the apartheid 21st century will be safer, freer, and Confusion can sometimes three major research projects. state. be created with the term Recently, the results of two of Trade Unions and Democra- the lessons of this series.” nonviolence. For example, these projects—the Project on tization in South Africa, 1985– President of the United States UNESCO has designated this Civil Society and the Black 1997, edited by Glenn Adler as the Decade of Peace and Trade Unions Project—have and Eddie Webster, analyzes the Nonviolence, which is about been published by Macmillan relationship between South people being good to each other, changing personal behavior to Press (UK and other countries) Africa’s labor unions and the acknowledge the common good, defining one’s own ethical and St. Martin’s Press (USA). shift to democracy. In the positions. Now that’s fine, good work. But we’re talking about From Comrades to Citizens: 1970s and 1980s, the powerful strategic nonviolent conflict, the use of nonviolent strategies, The South African Civics black trade union movement whether people have access to violent weapons or not. There have Movement and the Transition to established itself as a strategic been many cases of people who have chosen nonviolent ap- Democracy, edited by Glenn actor in South Africa with the proaches even when they had military options, and this is very Adler and Jonny Steinberg, capacity to mobilize both inside important to understand. People in nonviolent struggles are not examines the role of black and outside the workplace. unarmed—they are simply not armed with violent weapons, but township organizations, or Through widespread strikes, make no mistake, they have formidable resources that flow from “civics,” as they are known in slow downs, stay aways, and the fabric of their society. They are not necessarily principled South Africa, in the struggle for other forms of nonviolent advocates of nonviolence or other forms of peacemaking. Nonvio- rights and justice. Throughout action, the black trade union lence seeks to make the conflict go away by virtuous behavior, several decades, members of movement played a central role while nonviolent strategists seek to win by aggressive engagement these voluntary associations in challenging the apartheid with an opponent. concerned themselves primarily system. After the ban on the with improving living condi- African National Congress York: Absolutely. Most people think of Gandhi as a saint. Perhaps tions within black townships. (ANC) was lifted and the he was, but that was only one facet of the man. He was much Around 1979, however, civics government became majority- more. Our film shows that he was a brilliant political strategist. emerged as distinctive and elected, black trade unions dynamic elements within the See INTERVIEW, p. 7 See SOUTH AFRICA, p. 8
Fall 2000 5 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ massive human rights viola- Nonviolent Struggle (ISSN tions, corruption, and involve- 1052-0384, formerly ment in the drug trade. Nonviolent Sanctions) is a publication of the Albert Civilians of the numerous Einstein Institution, a ethnic groups have often borne nonprofit organization the worst of the regime’s crimes. advancing the study and From Dictatorship to use of strategic nonvio- lent action in conflicts Democracy was originally throughout the world. developed in 1993–1994 for Independent and nonsec- the Burmese pro-democracy tarian, it does not effort. At the request of the late endorse political candi- dates and is not an U Tin Maung Win, former advocate of any political Karen and Mon editor of the opposition weekly organization. Pamphlets Khit Pyiang (New Era), Gene Editor: Bruce Jenkins Sharp wrote a series of articles Distributed in Burma STAFF that provided a conceptual Bruce Jenkins framework for developing and Executive Director engaging in nonviolent struggle ver the past decade, the Gene Sharp against a dictatorial regime. Director, Policy & Out- Albert Einstein Einstein Fellow Printed in both Burmese and reach Program Institution has been Howard Clark's New O English in the weekly paper, the Stephen Coady asked to provide critical articles were subsequently Book on Kosovo Administrative Coordina- resources to Burmese pro- reproduced in booklet form— tor democracy groups. Recently, we later editions in quite small have fulfilled a long-standing rior to the rise of the Ronald M. McCarthy formats to facilitate distribution Director, Fellows Program request—to provide indigenous Kosovo Liberation and concealment. Altogether, language materials on nonvio- P Army and NATO Christopher Miller more than 23,000 copies of the lent struggle to some of the intervention, Kosovo Albanians Program Assistant Burmese edition have been large ethnic groups in Burma. engaged in a 10-year nonviolent BOARD OF DIRECTORS disseminated. Karen and Mon language struggle for political and civil Peter Ackerman In 1998 and 1999, we Elizabeth F. Defeis editions of Gene Sharp’s rights. In 1997 the Einstein supervised the translation of the Curt Goering booklet From Dictatorship to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Institution Fellows Program ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ booklet into four major ethnic Chester Haskell Democracy are now circulating funded Howard Clark to Joanne Leedom-Ackerman languages—Karen, Mon, among activists inside the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ investigate the development of Stephen Marks Jingphaw, and Chin. The Karen Hazel M. McFerson troubled country. this remarkable movement. His edition was printed in late 1999 Thomas C. Schelling Burma has one of the most results have just been published by Drum Publication Group in Gene Sharp complex ethnic mixes in the in Civil Resistance in Kosovo. Martin Teitel Thailand. The Mon printing world. The Karen and Mon are Mr. Clark examines how a was coordinated by the Political two of the numerous ethnic determined nonviolent struggle Defiance Committee of the groups that have long lived in by Kosovo Albanians frustrated National Council of the Union the rugged hill tracts that Serbia’s plans for Kosovo. He of Burma in summer 2000. The surround the main delta region describes the growth and other editions will appear in of the country. Karen and Mon potential of the movement, its late 2000. leaders and activists have subsequent stagnation, and As their virtually impris- consistently sought—often attempts to reinvigorate it. In oned leader Nobel Peace Prize through guerrilla warfare— assessing the achievements and winner Aung San Suu Kyi has greater political and civil rights. limitations of nonviolent action declared, the Burmese pro- The current military regime, in Kosovo, Clark suggests how democracy movement has made The which seized power in a 1988 the policy could have been a deliberate commitment to coup and by fiat later changed more effective and draws lesson nonviolent struggle, despite the Albert the country’s name to for consideration in future brutalities meted out by the Myanmar, lost nationwide peace-building. Clark also Einstein regime: “We’ve chosen non- elections in 1990, yet still clings addresses the failure of foreign violence because it is the best Institution to power. The regime has more governments. International way to protect the people, and diplomacy, he argues, took than doubled the size of the 427 Newbury Street in the long term assure the Kosovo Albanian nonviolence military and has launched Boston, MA 02115 USA future stability of democracy." for granted. It did not respond scorched earth campaigns voice: 617.247.4882 adequately to the danger of war against civilians and ethnic fax: 617.247.4035 and failed to adopt preventative military forces, and has e-mail: [email protected] consistently been charged with See KOSOVO, p. 8 www.aeinstein.org
6 Nonviolent Struggle ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Civil Rights leader Rev. James Lawson, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ who studied Gandhi's techniques in Einstein Institution India, speaks in Nashville, where he trained protestors for the famous 1960 Monograph Series lunch counter sit-ins. Photo Credit: The Tennessean ur Monograph Series is the only collection devoted solely to research on the history and dynamics of nonviolent O struggle. Monographs can be ordered from our website at www.aeinstein.org or by writing to us (see address on p. 8). ○○○○○○○○ Insurrectionary Civic Strikes in Latin America 1931-1961 by Patricia Parkman “From 1931 to 1961, eleven Latin American presidents left office in the wake of civic strikes,” writes Parkman. She compares fifteen cases and includes a chronological summary of INTERVIEW each case. 55 pp. (ISBN 1-880813-00-9) Price: $4.00 continued from p. 5 He understood power, the source of power, and how to exercise Civilian-based Defense in a New Era power. If we do nothing more than add this dimension to how by Johan Jørgen Holst Gandhi is perceived—that will have been worth our effort. In the wake of the 1989 revolutions of Eastern Europe, the late Johan Holst—former Norwegian foreign and defense minister— outlined a future European security order and explored the Q: What about Tiananmen Square in China? Street protests in potential of nonviolent civilian-based defense as a complement America? Are these examples of strategic nonviolent conflict? to military defense. 22 pp. (ISBN 1-880813-01-7) Price: $3.00
Ackerman: Not really. First, successful nonviolent resistance reflects The Role of Power in Nonviolent strategy, which implies a cumulative series of nonviolent actions or Struggle tactics intended to effect change. One kind of sanction, such as the by Gene Sharp demonstrations in Beijing, no matter how forceful or dramatic, “Nonviolent action . . . is capable of wielding great power,” cannot produce permanent change. But a strategic, well-managed writes Sharp, “because it attacks the most vulnerable characteris- tic of all hierarchical institutions and governments: dependence campaign of nonviolent events can. Nonviolent strategy may on the governed.” 19 pp. (ISBN 1-880813-02-5) Price: $3.00 include protests, but it will also include boycotts, strikes, noncoop- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ eration, and other tactics knitted together over time. Secondly, Civil Resistance in the East European when we talk about strategic nonviolent conflict, we’re using the and Soviet Revolutions same context, as we are when we talk about strategic violent conflict by Adam Roberts —that is, action directed against oppressors or invaders. So far the Roberts examines the role played by “people power” in the latest street demonstrations in America, such as in Seattle, haven’t undermining of regimes in Eastern Europe, the achievement of Baltic independence, and the defeat of the 1991 coup attempt in shown that a real movement with a real strategy has formed. the Soviet Union. 43 pp. (ISBN 1-880813-04-1) Price: $4.00
Q: What do you want viewers to take away from this series? Nonviolent Action in the Liberation of Latvia York: A sense of hope and a sense of appreciation for what’s been by Olgerts Eglitis accomplished, and what they themselves can do. We know from Eglitis recounts how Latvians used nonviolent action to throw activists around the world, whom we’ve spoken to in the course of off Soviet control and regain independence. He includes official making this series, that many leaders, many participants, saw documents that outline popular resistance plans against Soviet attack in 1991. 72 pp. (ISBN 1-880813-06-8) Price: $5.00 Attenborough’s film about Gandhi and it inspired them to embark on nonviolent campaigns of their own. I hope that people will see that not every leader has to be a Gandhi or a King, but that they Nonviolent Struggle and the Revolu- tion in East Germany can help effect change on a small or local scale and succeed. One of by Roland Bleiker the other things Gandhi said is that what we do at a particular time Bleiker examines the role that “exit” and “voice” forms of protest may seem insignificant, but eventually it can have an effect, and so played in the collapse of the East German regime. He includes a it’s very important to do it. chronology of the 1989-90 East German Revolution and There’s a feeling, in this country and elsewhere, that problems extensive notes. 53 pp (ISBN 1-880813-07-6) Price: $4.00 are so great and the powers so mighty, that nothing that one person, or even a group of people, can do will change things. A Force More Toward Research and Theory Building Powerful is a reminder that violence is the weapon of choice of the in the Study of Nonviolent Action by Ronald McCarthy and Christopher frightened, the unimaginative, the self-serving; while nonviolent Kruegler weapons represent human power in its mightiest and most noble The authors discuss theory development and research in the field form. I think if our series can help send that message, it will in itself of nonviolent action. 35 pp. (ISBN 1-880813-08-4) Price: $4.00 be a powerful nonviolent weapon, and we’d be very proud.
Fall 2000 7 ○○○○○○○○ SOUTH AFRICA ○○○○○○○○ KOSOVO WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT continued from p. 5 continued from p. 6 found themselves in a period of policies and deal justly with the transition. The Congress of Kosovo Albanians. Conse- South African Trade Unions quently Kosovo Albanians
or over fifteen years the Albert Einstein Institution— ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ had formalized an alliance with ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ turned to arms, precipitating through dedicated research, publications, and on-site the ruling ANC and contrib- Serbian atrocities and NATO F consultations—has been advancing the consideration and uted to setting economic policy. military intervention. Clark use of strategic nonviolent action by groups in conflict. With your Demands on unions were often reflects on the significance of support, we are having an impact. conflicting, as they were striving the Kosovo tragedy for other Tibetan leaders, concerned with the ongoing destruction of toward economic growth, civil resistance movements their culture, have sponsored Einstein Institution workshops and frequently in alliance with the around the world. translations. In remote villages throughout military-controlled government, while remaining As coordinator of War Burma, our writings are being handed from activist to activist. In committed to the problems of a Resisters’ International, Indonesia, pro-democracy groups circulated our translated booklet poorly paid and unproductive Howard Clark was involved in Toward Democracy Without Violence—which contains an introduc- labor force. civil peace initiatives in Kosovo tion by the recently elected president of Indonesia, Abdurrahman Both books (hardback, in the 1990s. He is also one of Wahid. From Comrades, $69.95; Trade the founders of the Balkan As requests for our input and assistance around the world Unions, $69.95) can be Peace Team, an international multiply, we are asking you to consider making a generous gift to purchased at a 20% discount volunteer project working for support our efforts. It takes substantial resources to get the best arranged by the Albert Einstein Serbian-Albanian dialogue. materials on strategic nonviolent action into the hands of those who Institution. Please contact us Civil Resistance in Kosovo need them most. As we operate at a fraction of the costs of so many for a discount order form. will be available from Pluto international organizations, you must know that we make every Press/Stylus Publishing in dollar of your contribution count. October 2000 and can be Tax-deductible donations can be made through our website at ordered (paperback, $19.95) by www.aeinstein.org or can be sent directly to our address below. calling 1.800.232.0223. Thank you for supporting the Albert Einstein Institution.
New Report on Activities
The e have completed a comprehensive report on our Albert outreach and research activities from 1993–1999. The Wreport features our pathbreaking outreach to Burmese, Einstein Baltic, and Tibetan pro-democracy leaders (among others) and documents the breadth of research sponsored and/or conducted by Institution the Institution. The report is available for downloading (PDF file format) from 427 Newbury Street our website at www.aeinstein.org or by writing to us. Boston, MA 02115 USA voice: 617.247.4882 fax: 617.247.4035 e-mail: [email protected] www.aeinstein.org