Commentary: Thoughts on Nonviolence

In response to questions raised in a review posted a couple weeks ago of the book How Nonviolence Strengthens the State, a former Media Mouse member has submitted an insightful commentary questioning the efficacy of violent tactics:

Until the United States possesses enough class solidarity to organize either a general strike or a general revolution, isolated acts of violence are either worthless or worse than worthless.

Ultimately one comes back to Lenin’s famous dictum: “A terrorist is a liberal with a bomb.” The liberal thinks he can influence bourgeois government by parliamentary pressure tactics or petitioning. The terrorist is of the same mindset, except the terrorist thinks he can substitute violence as the pressure tactic. Neither the terrorist nor the liberal will be able to influence the government in any more than superficial ways, and neither tactic seeks to take control of the state machinery.

Violent tactics must not be seen as a short cut to old-fashioned education and organization. “Propaganda by the deed” can only succeed among those who are sympathetic to the goals of the movement.

Read “Thoughts on Nonviolence”

Related posts:

1. Thoughts on Nonviolence
2. How Nonviolence Protects the State
3. Bishop Thomas Gumbleton on Forgiveness and Nonviolence
4. Thoughts on Memorial Day
5. The Banality of Evil: Thoughts on the death of Rev. Jerry Falwell