June 8, 2011 The Power of Nonviolence by Richard Gregg
Reviewed by Tom Ewell
If there is any redemption in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is that they again exemplify how terrible and evil a modern war can be: so much death, destruction, deception, and deficit. There may be worse wars or better wars, but in each case, no matter how much we try to sugar coat it with the sacrifice and valor of our troops, it is an unmitigated tragedy for the nations where wars are fought and for the people that fight them. Whether this lesson will be learned, and we will move closer to abolishing war still remains to be seen.
On the other hand, the recent nonviolent revolution in Egypt- and the long list of other successful nonviolent revolutions since WWII – exemplify the power of nonviolence. Whether we as a planet can move closer to embracing nonviolence as an alternative to war also remains to be seen.
The achievement of a nonviolent revolution in Egypt, viewed with intense dramatic interest across the globe, has provided a heightened awareness. The practice of nonviolence is a source of hope and transformation for our world Egypt has the difficult task of rebuilding its government, but Egypt is not engulfed in smoldering post-war wreckage and destruction. It is not a nation traumatized by a civil war that has cursed America for decades. Instead Egypt is a nation united and excited about the prospects of creating a renewed sense of national purpose and direction. We now know that the leaders of the Egyptian revolution had studied nonviolent direct action theory prior to launching their campaign. (For a more complete analysis of the nonviolent revolution inEgypt, read Ken Boutigan’s enthusiastic and brief account at www.peaceworkersus.org/nonviolent-revolution-in-egypt/).
So what do we need to understand about this “power of nonviolence” that so convincingly liberated Egypt? Why and how does it work?
One of the most important places to begin to find the answer to these questions is a classic work by that name, The Power of Nonviolence, written by Richard Gregg (1885-1974) in 1934. The book was printed and revised a number of times, most recently in 1959, when it was released with an forward by Martin Luther King, Jr. King claimed this book was a primary inspiration for his commitment to the use of nonviolent direct action in the civil rights movement.
Gregg began his career as a labor lawyer. Discouraged by the dehumanizing effect of big business, he came across the anti-colonial work of Mohandas Gandhi and went to Indiato study and work with Gandhi for four years. When he returned he began to interpret Gandhi’s nonviolent philosophy in language that made it accessible to a Western audience.
Gregg’s Power of Nonviolence presents a coherent explanation of how nonviolence works. He likens it to the art of jiu-jitsui in which systemic and personal violence is met, not with the counter force of violence, but with creativity, surprise and the disciplined practice of love, courage, perseverance, and self-sacrifice. This response establishes a moral high ground and disarms the opponent’s will to continue to dominate and harm.
The core of Gregg’s understanding of active nonviolence can be summarized by four characteristics:
- respect for the dignity of the adversary, including the one who is an outright enemy;
- trust in the power of truth;
- trust in the unity of ends and means; and
- the readiness to accept suffering rather than to inflict it.
Applying these principles, perhaps Gregg’s greatest historical contribution was to make Gandhi’s nonviolence a viable alternative to war. Gregg opens a new option, one which promises at least a comparable degree of pragmatic effectiveness to those who argue for the “myth of redemptive violence,” the assumption that war, or the threat of war, is the ultimate way to peace. Gregg’s work provided a sub-discipline within political science that makes the case that recourse to violence has a viable strategic alternative. He argues that peace and justice is possible and desirable without war and mayhem and uncontrollable bloodshed. The nonviolent approach reshuffles the components of the cost-benefit analysis of the marginal utility of recourse to violence. There is no guarantee you will win with nonviolence, but there is no guarantee for the success in war either (take Iraq, for example), and there are always losers in war.
Nonviolence, on the other hand, has the additional benefit of affirming the unity of humanity, including the dignity of the adversary’s life and reputation. InIraqSaddam Hussein is captured, disgraced, killed; his political party is excluded from government, including those who were needed in a transition. In Egypt, on the other hand, Mubarak continues to live; although legal and moral accountability will hopefully follow (as in the Truth and Reconciliation process in South Africa), and although Mubarak, his family and followers are now marginalized, they are allowed their dignity and the country is able to build a new government based on national unity without the weight of vengeance and reprisals.
Gregg is also particularly effective at comparing the relative psychological and social advantages of nonviolent actions to the use of violence. Anger and fear, if not redirected, are exhausting and lead to brutality that in turn creates more violence and insecurity, which in turn leads to more anger and fear. Nonviolence, whether in face-to-face situations or in political confrontations, empowers and transforms the anger and fear through truth-telling, deep conviction, and self-sacrifice while showing respect for the moral integrity and personality of the assailants and opposition. This is a powerful, positive source of healing and reconciliation.
The accounts of the drama at Tahrir Square reported that the revolution was led by a very small group of ten or so people using cell phones against a determined, established (although confused and increasingly desperate) military force. The truth of the years of oppression, neglect and profligacy was openly revealed for all the world to see. Mubarak tried to retaliate with violence and intimidation. The people remained courageously steadfast and nonviolent. Worldwide opinion fell solidly behind the protestors, especially as we saw their willingness to sacrifice themselves for the cause. The military was eventually won over because of the respect for their moral integrity and their shared personal love forEgypt. It was a classic representation of direct nonviolent action straight out of Gregg’s book.
In Gregg’s terms the powers of domination were overcome by the powers of nonviolence. Key words for Gregg are unity (as opposed to the fracturing and vengefulness of war and violence), selflessness (as opposed to arrogance, entitlement, belligerence, and “full spectrum domination”), discipline, and a very important word, persuasion (as opposed to coercion). The heart of nonviolence is the heart, the capacity for love and selfless action to overcome violence.
For Gregg nonviolence is the key to freedom and liberty, both at a personal and national level. He contends that “freedom is a by-product of trust, mutual respect, honesty, tolerance, patience and actively expressed good will.” The practice of nonviolence is the essential basis for freedom and liberty as a society and as a planet.
In the final chapters Gregg explores nonviolence beyond a political strategy as a way of everyday life. All valid parenting is nonviolent action. So is authentic education, competent farming, efficient and ethical business administration, and all proper governmental functions and responsible journalism. This is the nonviolence of the every day. We should all be encouraged that so many have now learned to enhance their lives with the use of nonviolent communication (NVC) or lead workshops on Alternative to Violence (AVP), just two of an ever expanding array of nonviolent practices that Gregg would surely have applauded.
Richard Gregg’s writing style is a bit dated now, but it remains clear and understandable. Some will call it too idealistic. But the reality is that his analysis in this seminal work has become a standard classic in the field of nonviolence study and political science in general. Gregg’s interpretation of Gandhi and the insights he offers are as relevant today as ever. This brief review is meant only as an introduction, and I eagerly recommend the full text of The Power of Nonviolence as a foundational study and practice and nonviolence.
Although the book seems to be out of print, it is available as used copy and on Kindle and perhaps other e-readers, or it can be downloaded in its entirety at www.nonviolenceunited.org/pdf/thepowerofnonviolence0206.pdf.
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- Posted under 2011 June/August (Vol. 31 No. 3)
