Power Dynamics

“Nonviolence is an intensely active force when properly understood and used.” Mohandas Gandhi

Though Gandhi first termed his approach “passive resistance,” he was clear that nonviolence was all about action. He believed that nonviolence was the most powerful choice possible. Used properly, nonviolent action exposed the violence of the oppressor. Gandhi called it spiritual “jujitsu,” comparing it to a martial arts technique of flipping opponents by using their own strength against them. In this way, an unarmed group of people could eventually win against a heavily armed and violent force.

The key was to get as many people involved as possible. Over years of experimenting, Gandhi became brilliantly successful at getting masses of people to join in his actions. At the same time, he insisted on connecting with the humanity of the enemy. He was intent on winning on two fronts, to win a victory over injustice and at the same time to win the hearts of those behaving unjustly.