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]
Protest movements should not rely on other states as they have little interest in human rights in other countries for lack of benefit. Foreign countries tolerate or even support dictatorships for examlple through arms sales. However some states could pursue their own interests by supporting protest movements. So if a protest movement manages to match its goals and the interests of other states then such support could be obtained from outside. [1,S.6] 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).Sharp also warns repeatedly about traps in which a move can be made. Traps that can undermine or even break the movement. Elections are the hallmark of democracies and the goal but elections can become a farce if the candidates are controlled or even selected beforehand. For real elections the options available must be clearly different. That's why Sharp does not rate all states of the former Soviet Union as democratic. And indeed politicians such as Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus, Nursultan Nazarbayev in Kazakhstan and the Aliyev family in Azerbaijan have been in office for an above-average period. [1,S.5] Negotiations with a dictatorship can also be a distraction. Negotiations could help the dictatorship dissolve resistance and thereby save its own influence. Negotiators and mediators could be bought or even kidnapped by the dictatorship. A too fast or too generous offer should therefore be viewed with skepticism. [1,S.10] Sharp also warns about its own members. It is possible that members pursue lesser goals. A change of government is then for them only a romantic idea but not a realistic goal. And an anti-government protest movement is inevitably confronted with all the resources of one of the state. The intimidation of this challenge and that of failure should therefore be avoided. [1,S.42]
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]
Protest movements should not rely on other states as they have little interest in human rights in other countries for lack of benefit. Foreign countries tolerate or even support dictatorships for examlple through arms sales. However some states could pursue their own interests by supporting protest movements. So if a protest movement manages to match its goals and the interests of other states then such support could be obtained from outside. [1,S.6] 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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