Nonviolent protests are twice as likely to succeed as armed conflicts – and those engaging a threshold of 3.5% of the population have never failed to bring about change.
''There are, of course, many ethical reasons to use nonviolent strategies. But compelling research by Erica Chenoweth, a political scientist at Harvard University, confirms that civil disobedience is not only the moral choice; it is also the most powerful way of shaping world politics – by a long way.
Looking at hundreds of campaigns over the last century, Chenoweth found that nonviolent campaigns are twice as likely to achieve their goals as violent campaigns. And although the exact dynamics will depend on many factors, she has shown it takes around 3.5% of the population actively participating in the protests to ensure serious political change.'
Advantages of Peaceful protest
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Positive solution: It reminds people that even when governed by an oppressive regime, the power still lies with the people.
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More common: On average, peaceful protests attract about 11 times more public participation than armed protest.
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Inspiration: Many activists link their methods to successors such as Dr. Martin Luther King and Gandhi. Figures like these serve as inspiration to resistance movements.
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Success rate: From 1900 to 2015, nonviolent campaigns succeeded 51 percent of the time, But violent campaigns succeeded 27 percent of the time.
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low-risk factor: Because peaceful protest is peaceful, there is a lot lower risk factor that you will get hurt if you choise to help protest.
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More organized: Peaceful protests are often more organized because the people participating have a calmer approach to change than their violent counterparts.
