The Success of Nonviolent Civil Resistance: Erica Chenoweth

 

Between 1900-2006, campaigns of nonviolent civil resistance were twice as successful as violent campaigns. In this TedxBoulder Talk, Erica Chenoweth discusses her research on the impressive historical record of civil resistance in the 20th century and also the promise of unarmed struggle in the 21st century. She focuses on the so-called "3.5% rule"—the notion that no government can withstand a challenge of 3.5% of its population without either accommodating the movement or (in extreme cases) disintegrating. In addition to explaining why nonviolent resistance has been so effective, she also shares some lessons learned about why it sometimes fails.

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