Peter Ackerman and Jack Duvall, "A Force More Powerful"

"People power in the twentieth century did not grow out of the barrel of a gun."


"A Force More Powerful" describes the 20th century as a period of conflicts in which nonviolence has been used as a source of strength and might for groups of people to fight against oppressive forces. Whether the desired ends have been to gain denied rights, to resist undesirable occupation or rule,or to transition from one form of government to another, nonviolence has an overlooked history that has been in many instances successful and in all instances insightful. Fifteen historical cases of the successes and failures of movements that opted to use nonviolence as a strategy are covered, from the most well known and organized cases such as Gandhi leading the people of India in mass civil disobedience, to lesser known and less organized instances like Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo, mothers of sons who had disappeared, or were taken, undera military junta in Argentina. Each of these cases show that the power of one group requires the subordination of another. Violence is the means of the powerful to demand obedience and subordination of another, whereas nonviolence is the power of the people to resist and not cooperate with those in power. As history continues to unfold, nonviolence should hopefully continue to play a part in determining our collective future as its successes become more exposed and the idea of the violent ruler and the obedient ruled becomes an obsolete form of governance.

Links:
A Force More Powerful Film and Book Website

Citation Information:
Ackerman, P., & DuVall, J. (2000). A force more powerful: A century of nonviolent conflict. New York: St. Martin's Press.