It is translated into over 30 languages, it is banned in countries such as Iran and Venezuela and the Serbian dissident Srda Popovic cites it as a blueprint for resistance.
In 1993 "From dictatorship to democracy" was published by Gene Sharp.
The book describes in many ways how non-violent resistance against a dictatorship can be achieved.
Sharp (January 21, 1928 - January 28, 2018) himself was sentenced to two years in prison during the Korean War for civil resistance to compulsory military service, and spent nine months in prison.
Since the 1980s various dictatorships such as the Soviet republics and the Warsaw Pact countries have already become democracies.
The remaining dictatorships and states that are considered unfree are viewed as a remaining problem.
Consequently the distribution and reproduction of the book is expressly permitted.
And just as Sharp refused to participate in the Korean War the book is a guide and inspiration for resistance.
For a successful political resistance it is important for people to understand the concept of non-violent resistance.
Like any government a dictatorship needs the resources of the population in the form of labor, taxes or compliance with laws.
This means if enough people from the population refuse to obey for long enough, then a dictatorship will be weakened and ultimately collapse.
[1,S.1ff]
[1,S.91]
According to Sharp non-violent resistance has the goal of bringing the dictatorship to a standstill. For this the dictatorship should be able to achieve as little as possible by force. It should specifically exploit and expose the weaknesses of the dictatorship. Errors of dictatorship should be provoked and lead to public outcries. [1,S.29] Resistance in the form of disobedience can encompass everything where disobedience can be done. Absences, insubordination, sit-ins or demonstrations as single or common disobedience are possible. [1,S.84]
In order to develop strategies and not to lose sight of the goal the protest movement should first ask itself questions. Sharp asks what weaknesses the dictatorship has that can be exploited as well as what weaknesses the protest movement has and how they can be corrected. The strengths of the dictatorship should be listed according to the required resources and quality as well as those of the protest movement. The protest movement should also be aware of potential outside parties who might intervene from the outside. [1,S.48] This hint should be considered in the context of political and military interventions. There are numerable instances from the incubator lie from the first Gulf War to the lack of evidence against Slobodan Milosevic in which other states have intervened in the internal affairs of another country. There is also the charge that the book only serves to pursue the interests of some states in the rest of the world. However Sharp rejects violence against a violent governments. Violence legitimizes counter-violence and governments are clearly superior to their resources. A coup is illegitimate and those who act are untrustworthy. Anyone who does so will only open the way for a new dictatorship because of the violent methods. [1,S.4] There Sharp agrees with Gandhi. He also thought that everything that was won by force can only be held by force. Whether Sharp was always honest and was aware of the use of his work remains open.
[1] Gene Sharp - From dictatorship to democracy - ISBN 1-880813-09-2
https://www.aeinstein.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FDTD.pdf
[2] Wie man einen Diktator stürzt: Eine Anleitung auf 93 Seiten 2011-02-17
https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/ausland/die-arabische-revolution/Wie-man-einen-Diktator-stuerzt-Eine-Anleitung-auf-93-Seiten/story/21758820?dossier_id=852
In the feudal state of Chu an old man survived by keeping monkeys in his service. The people of Chu called him Jugong (monkey master).In theory nonviolent resistance sounds simple and effective. But the book also gives countless examples and possible approaches. Sources of political power and thus potential goals should be found and weakened. The authority and belief of people in the legitimacy of the dictatorship and the need to follow it are to be weakened. The human and financial resources of the state as well as its attention and ability to communicate are to be depleted. [1,S.18] A protest movement should recruit itselffrom existing lobbies. Their members can be taken. Sharp lists families, religious organizations, cultural associations, sports clubs, economic institutions, trade unions, student associations, political parties, villages, neighborhood associations, gardening clubs, human rights organizations, musical groups, literary societies, and others. [1,S.22]
Each morning, the old man would assemble the monkeys in his courtyard, and order the eldest one to lead the others to the mountains to gather fruits from bushes and trees. It was the rule that each monkey had to give one-tenth of his collection to the old man. Those who failed to do so would be ruthlessly flogged. All the monkeys suffered bitterly, but dared not complain.
One day, a small monkey asked the other monkeys: Did the old man plant all the fruit trees and bushes? The others said: No, they grew naturally. The small monkey further asked: Can’t we take the fruits without the old man’s permission? The others replied: Yes, we all can. The small monkey continued: Then, why should we depend on the old man; why must we all serve him? Before the small monkey was able to finish his statement, all the monkeys suddenly became enlightened and awakened.
On the same night, watching that the old man had fallen asleep, the monkeys tore down all the barricades of the stockade in which they were confined, and destroyed the stockade entirely. They also took the fruits the old man had in storage, brought all with them to the woods, and never returned. The old man finally died of starvation.
Yu-li-zi says,
Some men in the world rule their people by tricks and not by righteous principles. Aren’t they just like the monkey master? They are not aware of their muddleheadedness. As soon as their people become enlightened, their tricks no longer work. [1,S.17]
According to Sharp non-violent resistance has the goal of bringing the dictatorship to a standstill. For this the dictatorship should be able to achieve as little as possible by force. It should specifically exploit and expose the weaknesses of the dictatorship. Errors of dictatorship should be provoked and lead to public outcries. [1,S.29] Resistance in the form of disobedience can encompass everything where disobedience can be done. Absences, insubordination, sit-ins or demonstrations as single or common disobedience are possible. [1,S.84]
In order to develop strategies and not to lose sight of the goal the protest movement should first ask itself questions. Sharp asks what weaknesses the dictatorship has that can be exploited as well as what weaknesses the protest movement has and how they can be corrected. The strengths of the dictatorship should be listed according to the required resources and quality as well as those of the protest movement. The protest movement should also be aware of potential outside parties who might intervene from the outside. [1,S.48] This hint should be considered in the context of political and military interventions. There are numerable instances from the incubator lie from the first Gulf War to the lack of evidence against Slobodan Milosevic in which other states have intervened in the internal affairs of another country. There is also the charge that the book only serves to pursue the interests of some states in the rest of the world. However Sharp rejects violence against a violent governments. Violence legitimizes counter-violence and governments are clearly superior to their resources. A coup is illegitimate and those who act are untrustworthy. Anyone who does so will only open the way for a new dictatorship because of the violent methods. [1,S.4] There Sharp agrees with Gandhi. He also thought that everything that was won by force can only be held by force. Whether Sharp was always honest and was aware of the use of his work remains open.
[1] Gene Sharp - From dictatorship to democracy - ISBN 1-880813-09-2
https://www.aeinstein.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FDTD.pdf
[2] Wie man einen Diktator stürzt: Eine Anleitung auf 93 Seiten 2011-02-17
https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/ausland/die-arabische-revolution/Wie-man-einen-Diktator-stuerzt-Eine-Anleitung-auf-93-Seiten/story/21758820?dossier_id=852
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