government, and subvert their troops. Embargo: An economic boycott initiated This policy, alone or in combination with and enforced by a government. A military means, has received governmen- tal or military attention in several Fast: Deliberate abstention from certain European countries. or all food. When applied in a social or Brief political conflict, it may be combined Civilian insurrection: A nonviolent with a moral appeal seeking to change Glossary uprising against a dictatorship, or other attitudes. It may also be intended simply unpopular regime, usually involving to force the opponent to grant certain widespread repudiation of the regime as objectives, in which case it is called a of illegitimate, mass strikes, massive hunger strike. demonstrations, an economic shut-down, and widespread political noncooperation. Force: Either: (1) An application of Nonviolent Political noncooperation may include power (including threatened or imposed action by government employees and sanctions, which may be violent or non- Struggle mutiny by police and troops. In the final violent). As, "the force generated by the stages, a parallel government often civil disobedience movement." Or: (2) emerges. The body or group applying force as The Albert Einstein Institution has pre- If successful, a civilian insurrection defined in (1), usually used in the plural. pared this brief glossary to encourage the may disintegrate the established regime in As, "the forces at the government's use of more precise terminology in the days or weeks, as opposed to a long-term disposal." field of nonviolent sanctions. struggle of many months or years. Civilian insurrections often end with the General strike: A work stoppage by a Bloodless coup: A successful coup departure of the deposed rulers from the majority of workers in the more impor- d'etat in which there is no killing. Not to country. tant industries of an area or country, be confused with nonviolent struggle, The ousters of Ferdinand Marcos in intended to produce an economic stand- although such a coup sometimes follows 1986 and the Shah of Iran in 1979 are still to achieve political or economic nonviolent protest and resistance against examples. objectives. Certain vital services, as the government. Also called "nonviolent insurrection." health, food, and water, may be ex- empted. Such strikes may be symbolic, Boycott: Social, economic, or political Economic boycott: The withdrawal or lasting only an hour, to communicate an noncooperation. withholding of economic cooperation in opinion, or may be intended to produce the form of buying, selling, or handling economic paralysis in order to force Civic strike: A collective suspension of of goods or services, often accompanied concessions from the opponent. normal activities — economic, social, and by efforts to induce others to do likewise. political — by an entire society to It may be practiced on local, regional, Hunger strike: See "fast." achieve a common political objective. national, or international levels. Mutiny: Refusal by police or troops to Civil disobedience: Deliberate, open, Economic noncooperation: The use of obey orders. It can in extreme cases and peaceful violation of particular laws, economic boycotts or strikes, or both, entail individual or group desertion. It is decrees, regulations, military or police against an opponent. a method of nonviolent action unless the orders, or other governmental directives. mutineers resort to violence. The command may be disobeyed because Economic sanctions: Usually, the it is seen as itself illegitimate or immoral, imposition of international economic Noncooperation: Acts that deliberately or because it is a symbol of other policies boycotts and embargoes. The term can restrict, withhold, or discontinue social, which are opposed. Civil disobedience also be used in domestic conflicts to refer economic, or political cooperation with may be practiced by individuals, groups, to labor strikes and economic boycotts, an institution, policy, or government. A or masses of people. shutdowns, and intervention. general class of methods of nonviolent action. Civilian-based defense: A national Economic shutdown: A suspension of defense policy to deter and defeat aggres- the economic activities of a city, area, or : Either, (1) The behavior of sion, both internal (i.e., coups d'etat) and country on a sufficient scale to produce people who in a conflict refrain from external (i.e., invasions) by preparing the economic paralysis. It combines a violent acts. Or, (2) Any of several population and institutions for massive general strike by workers with a closing belief systems that reject violence on and defiance. The of businesses by their owners and principle, not just as impractical. broad strategy is to deny the attackers' managers. Otherwise, the term is best not used, objectives, block establishment of their since it often contributes to ambiguity

4 Nonviolent Sanctions and confusion. To describe specific measures and countermeasures. See also "nonviolent sanctions." actions or movements, the recommended terms are: "nonviolent action." "nonvio- : Several types of belief : M.K. Gandhi's version of lent resistance." or "nonviolent struggle." systems of principled rejection of nonviolent action, and also his fuller violence. Pacifism is distinct from the belief system enjoining nonviolent Nonviolent action: A technique of technique of nonviolent action, which is personal behavior and social responsibil- action in conflicts in which participants usually applied as a practical way to act ity. Pronounced sat-va-graha. conduct the struggle by doing — or by people who are not pacifists. Pacifist refusing to do — certain acts without belief systems, at a minimum, reject Strike: A group's deliberate restriction using physical violence. It is an alterna- participation in all international or civil or suspension of work, usually temporary, tive to both passive submission and wars, or violent revolutions. Pacifists to put pressure on employers or some- violence. The technique includes many may support nonviolent struggle, or may times the government. Strikes take many specific methods, which are grouped into oppose it on ethical grounds as too forms and range widely in extent and three main classes: nonviolent protest conflictual. duration. and persuasion, noncooperation. and The term "pacifism" or "pacifist" See also "economic noncooperation." nonviolent intervention. should therefore not be used in relation to The technique's variables include the nonviolent struggles unless there is clear Transarmament: The process of incre- motives for using it, the objectives, the evidence that pacifists are playing mentally building up a nation's civilian- intended way success is to be accom- significant roles in the conflict. based defense capacity and gradually plished (mechanism), and the relation phasing out its military defense capacity. between nonviolent action and other Passive resistance: A nineteenth century "Transarmament" is contrasted to "disar- forms of action. term once used to describe nonviolent mament" which involves a simple struggle. The term is now in disfavor reduction or abandonment of military Nonviolent discipline: Orderly adher- and rejected because "passive" is plainly capacity without providing a substitute ence to the planned strategy and tactics of inaccurate to describe recent cases of means for national defense. an action and to nonviolent behavior even nonviolent noncooperation and defiance. See also "civilian-based defense." in face of repression. This is a major factor contributing to the success of a People power: The power capacity of a Violence: The infliction on people of nonviolent struggle movement. mobilized population and its institutions physical injury or death, or the threat to using nonviolent forms of struggle. The do so. All behavior cannot be neatly Nonviolent resistance: Nonviolent term was especially used during the 1986 classified as either "violence" or "nonvi- struggle, conducted largely by noncoop- Philippine nonviolent insurrection. olence," and several categories fall eration, in reaction to a disapproved act, between these two extremes, including policy, or government. The broader Political boycott: See "political nonco- "destruction of property." terms "nonviolent action" and "nonvio- operation." In reporting a demonstration or resis- lent struggle" are therefore preferred to tance movement which is primarily or refer to the overall nonviolent technique Political noncooperation: The withhold- exclusively nonviolent, care is required to of action and to action in which the ing of usual obedience to, or participation distinguish it, for example, from the acts nonviolent group also takes the initiative in, the political system. The aim may be of violence by small numbers of persons or intervenes, as in a sit-in. to correct a specific grievance or to (who may be undisciplined or deliber- disintegrate a government. Political ately disruptive for political reasons or as Nonviolent sanctions: The methods of noncooperation can take a great variety of agents provocateurs). Similarly, a dem- the technique of nonviolent action. The forms, including withholding of alle- onstration should not be described as term is used especially when one wishes giance, civil disobedience of "illegiti- "violent" when it' is violently attacked by to make clear that these methods are not mate" laws, and governmental refusal of police or troops but nevertheless main- merely expressive behavior but are ways diplomatic recognition. A synonym for tains its nonviolent discipline. to wield power, exercise influence, inflict "political boycott." punishments, and impose costs. See also "noncooperation." This glossary is reprinted from the Nonviolent struggle: A synonym for Sanctions: Punishments or reprisals, brochure, A Journalist's Brief "nonviolent action." This term may be violent or nonviolent, for either failure to Glossary of Nonviolent Struggle. used also to indicate that the nonviolent act in the expected or desired manner or Copies of the brochure are available action in a conflict is particularly pur- for acting in an unexpected or prohibited from the Albert Einstein Institution, poseful or aggressive. "Nonviolent manner. Nonviolent sanctions are less 1430 Massachusetts Avenue, struggle" is especially useful to describe likely than violent ones to be simple Cambridge. MA 02138. nonviolent action against determined and reprisals and more likely to be intended Price: 750 each (includes postage) resourceful opponents who use repressive to achieve a given objective.

News from the Albert Einstein Institution 5 movements, such as the Franciscans, the Anabaptists and the , harkened back to the meaning of love as taught by . Today, not only in the historic churches but Nonviolent present in the "mainline" churches as well, there is a growing recognition that peacemaking is central to Discipline . These Christians see the supreme task of humankind as the creation of a social order in which the maximum opportunity shall be afforded for the devel- opment and enrichment of every human personality. In As a participant in this campaign, I agree to abide affirming this vision and their faith, Christians will in- by the following nonviolent discipline. As part of evitably become caught up in the struggle for peace and my preparation for this action, I will reflect on justice and should participate in such struggles mindful these commitments: of the Gospel imperative of love toward all humanity. This is the vision that inspired , A.J. Muste, 1. We will harbor no anger but suffer the anger King, Jr., Dorothy Day and Lanza del of the opponent.* Vasto, and continues to motivate the Catholic Worker 2. We will refuse to return the assaults, verbal or movement, Korean pacifist leader Hon Sok Ham and physical, of the opponent. thousands of Christians to this day. Jewish pacifists find in Jewish ideals and experience 3. We will refrain from insults and swearing. the inspiration for a nonviolent philosophy of life. The 4. We will protect opponents from insults or belief in the sanctity of life and the way of peace is seen attack. in the Decalogue of Moses; it flowered under Isaiah, Jeremiah and the other prophets and was perfected by 5. If arrested, we will behave in an exemplary the Talmudic sages. In modern times, Leo Baeck, Abra- manner. We will not evade the legal ham Cronbach, Albert Einstein, Abraham Heschel and consequences of our actions. others have continued to enrich the Jewish philosophy 6. As members of the nonviolent demonstration, of nonviolence. we will follow the directions of the designated Parallels exist in many other religious traditions. coordinators. In the event of a serious Gandhi drew sustenance from Hindu teachings in seek- disagreement, we will remove ourselves from ing to inject (no-harm) and satyagraha (soul force) the action. into the body politic to break the chain of destruction 7. Our attitude as conveyed through words, and violence that disturbs the substance of the soul — symbols, and actions, will be one of openness, according to Hindu tradition — and accentuates the di- friendliness, and respect toward all people we vision between the spiritual and the temporal. The im- encounter, including police officers and perative for justice and respect for life are deeply em- workers. bodied in the Buddhist faith, as well, as was clear during the Buddhist nonviolent resistance to French 8. We will not damage any property.** and American intervention in Vietnam from the 1950s 9. We will not bring or use any drugs or alcohol. stretching into the 1970s. Nonviolence is no panacea, no magic elixir or guar- 10. We will not run or use threatening motions. antee of certain victory. Gandhi said that "mankind is 11. We will carry no weapons. only able utilize the means, for the ultimate end is be- yond us." But nonviolence gives us the power to seek peace, foster reconciliation and promote justice without * The term "opponent" is borrowed from Gandhi and is harming persons or treating them as things, as violence meant to indicate one with whom we are in opposition but does. We revolt against violence because of its cruelty whom we do not consider to be an enemy. ** Definitions and philosophies of what constitutes "proper- and barbarism. We abhor the reversal and negation of ty" and whether some property has a right to exist (for ex- human relationships that accompany the use of vio- ample, the gas chambers of Nazi Germany) vary from lence as a tactic. A philosophy of nonviolence is a viable group to group. This is a general guideline which can and alternative. Once it is understood, it no longer appears should be discussed and decided upon during the course of to be naive. Nonviolence is a powerful affirmation of planning a campaign. humanity that is capable of effecting fundamental polit- ical, economic and social changes. People standing to- gether, disarmed, can move the world. ❖ Modified from the Nevada Desert Experience's Hiroshima/Na- gasaki Interfaith Peace Witness Nonviolent Strat- Taken from Introduction to Nonviolence, a pamphlet produced by egy Workshop, August 5-9, 1987. the Fellowship of Reconciliation and the Resource Center for Non- violence.

The Practice of Nonviolence: 13