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Gene Sharp’s 198 Methods of Nonviolent Action is an influential framework that catalogues a wide range of nonviolent methods, classified into three broad categories: nonviolent protest and persuasion, noncooperation (social, economic, and political), and nonviolent intervention. [source: commons-198-methods] These “nonviolent weapons” were researched and published in Sharp’s seminal 1973 work, The Politics of Nonviolent Action, which provides a rich selection of historical examples for each method. [source: commons-198-methods] The framework is intended to help people struggling for democratic rights and justice become aware of the full range of methods available to them. [source: commons-198-methods]
The first category, nonviolent protest and persuasion, includes methods such as formal statements like public speeches and group petitions, symbolic public acts like wearing symbols or displaying flags, and processions like marches and pilgrimages. [source: commons-198-methods] It also covers drama and music, including humorous skits and singing, as well as public assemblies like teach-ins and protest meetings. [source: commons-198-methods] The second category, noncooperation, is divided into social noncooperation (e.g., social boycotts, student strikes, stay-at-homes) and economic noncooperation, which includes economic boycotts by consumers, workers, and governments, as well as various forms of strikes. [source: commons-198-methods] The third category, nonviolent intervention, is also part of the classification. [source: commons-198-methods]
Wise strategy, attention to the dynamics of nonviolent struggle, and careful selection of methods can increase a group’s chance of success. [source: commons-198-methods] It must be clearly understood that the greatest effectiveness is possible when individual methods are selected to implement a previously adopted strategy. [source: commons-198-methods] It is necessary to know what kind of pressures are to be used before one chooses the precise forms of action that will best apply those pressures. [source: commons-198-methods] A large number of additional methods have already been used but have not been classified, and a multitude of additional methods will be invented in the future that have the characteristics of the three classes. [source: commons-198-methods]
Use it for
A campaigner uses this source to gain a comprehensive overview of the full range of nonviolent methods available for a struggle, from formal statements and symbolic acts to economic boycotts and strikes. [source: commons-198-methods] The framework helps a campaigner select specific methods that align with their overall strategy, ensuring that the chosen actions apply the intended pressures effectively. [source: commons-198-methods] By consulting this catalogue, a campaigner can move beyond a limited set of familiar tactics and consider a wider array of nonviolent weapons, increasing the group’s chance of success. [source: commons-198-methods]