Introduction
Between 1900-2006, campaigns of nonviolent civil resistance were twice as successful as violent campaigns. Erica will talk about her research on the impressive historical record of civil resistance in the 20th century and discuss the promise of unarmed struggle in the 21st century. She will focus 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 will also share some lessons learned about why it sometimes fails.
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Explore Further
- Book – Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Non violent resistance, Erica Chenoweth, Maria J. Stephan, Columbia Press, 2012
- Discussion Paper – Questions, Answers, and Some Cautionary Updates Regarding the 3.5% Rule, Erica Chenoweth, Carr Center Discussion Paper, Carr Center for Human Rights Policy Harvard Kennedy School, 2020
- Journal article – Social movements and the (mis)use of research: Extinction Rebellion and the 3.5% rule, Kyle R Matthews, Interface Journal, 2020