In the book A Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict by Peter Ackermann and Jack DuVall authors developed four lessons adopted by nonviolent protagonists . These lessons are:
Nonviolent sanctions are vital elements of history-making processes and happen more often and in more countries than it is usually thought.
Nonviolent actions always work out irrespective the type of the aggressor and the level of aggression.
When violence is included into the strategy of nonviolent process , the action has less chance to end successfully because it lost internal support.
Supporting of the nonviolent movements correlates with strengthening of the democracy and civil society (Ackermann & DuVall, 2000, p.7).
For example, Danish resistance during the World War II was successful and was powerful even despite the fact that the Nazis oppression was aggressive and total. Danes succeeded in boycotting of work on Germans, distributing illegal newspapers (radio could not only transmit the news but also it was banned from playing American, British and Sweden music). But this resistance was only partly nonviolent because actions of civil disobedience took place. It was one of the reason why Danish resistance did not ended the occupation.
The most famous example of success of nonviolent actions despite the hard oppression was the Gandhi protest. Mohandas Gandhi followed his own doctrine until his death. His point of view on peaceful negotiation became extremely influential. He managed persuade lots of Indians to boycott the British goods and organizations. Besides, thousands followed him on March to the Sea, when he protested against the tax on salt.
References
Ackermann, P., DuVall, J. (2000). A Force More Powerful: a Century of Nonviolent Conflict. New York: Palgrave.
BBC. (n.d.). Mohandas Gandhi. BBC. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/gandhi_mohandas.shtml
Terp, H. (n.d.). Danish Peace History. Retrieved from http://www.fredsakademiet.dk/library/dkpeace/dkpeace13.htm
