How Nonviolence Protects the State
Not so long ago, international media attention was focused on Ward Churchill and his writings about September 11. Among Churchill’s other works, journalists noted, was the book Pacifism As Pathology, which argued the futility of nonviolence in social movements. Today, tactical discussions are contumacious, but at least one gritty writer is willing to take up a position few would touch.
This episode, we examine How Nonviolance Protects the State by Peter Gelderloos.
Revolutionary movements have toiled for generations around a variety of issues. And since the 1999 World Trade Organization demonstrations in Seattle, Washington, where activists using a range of tactics succeeded in thwarting WTO meetings, debates over approach have been central to the dialogue.
In his book, Gelderloos makes a fearless though at points flawed argument against not simply pacifism, but the philosophy of nonviolence in the context of social change. Many are likely to find such a position to be an implicit advocacy of violent action, and thus marginal, at best. But a careful read of the philosophical construct is certain to get you pondering.
Utilizing a constellation of historical references, judicious citations and old-fashioned polemic, the author lays a variety of crimes at the feet of nonviolent philosophy. The blemish to this construct, aside from the rhetoric which Gelderloos acknowledges is a forceful, even vitriolic, criticism of nonviolence, is that it doesn’t seem to acknowledge nonviolence’s role as one of a diversity of tactics. While some of Gelderloos’ claims have merit, some examples and painting of interests engaged in modern politics seem oversimplified to prove a point, rather than stated to dissect the real complexities of human interaction and history. And, though he gives many reasons why the philosophy of nonviolence may be racist or sexist, he doesn’t adequately refute longstanding critiques of rambunctious factions being most young, white men without a real grasp of gender or racial justice politics either.
Nevertheless, How Nonviolence Protects the State is an exceptional book. The passion of Peter Gelderloos’ writing is absolutely certain to captivate you, agree or not.
PPS [PODCAST POSTSCRIPT] It should come as no surprise that Peter Gelderloos’ book has prompted plenty of discussion. Gelderloos first forwarded ideas in this release in 2005, with South End publishing it recently. Utne has an eclectic take on the book, while Crimethinc hosts a lively debate on the subjects raised in the work. The Wall Street Journal’s Informed Reader Blog also kicked around some thoughts on Gelderloos. All things considered, comments on many sites fail to address the complexities of Gelderloos’ book. The author likely deserves some of the blame for that — he writes in a style that seems contemptuous of nonviolence and does not fully explore the diversity of tactics used in social movements — but surely comments pro and con bring their own biases to the table. Still, a solid book generally.
