History indicates that there are powerful routes to liberation from
oppression that do not involve violence. Mohandas Gandhi called for a
science of nonviolent action, one based on satyagraha, or the
"insistence on truth." As Gandhi understood, nonviolent
resistance is not passive, nor is it weak; rather, such action is an
exercise of power. Despite the success of Gandhi's
"Quit India" movement, the resources dedicated to the
application of rigorous science to nonviolent struggle have been
vanishingly small. By contrast, almost unimaginable levels of financial
and human resources have been devoted to the science and technologies
of killing, war, and collective violence. Mark Mattaini reviews the
history and theory of nonviolent struggles against oppression and
discusses recent research that indicates the substantial need for and
advantage of nonviolent alternatives. He then offers a detailed
exploration of principles of behavioral systems science that appear to
underlie effective strategic civil resistance and "people
power."
Strategic Nonviolent Power proposes that the route to what
Gandhi described as the "undreamt of and seemingly impossible
discoveries" of nonviolent resistance is the application of
rigorous science. Although not a simple science, Mattaini's
application of ecological science grounded in the science of behaviour
brings exceptional power to the struggle for justice and liberation. At
a time when civil resistance is actively reshaping global political
realities, the science of nonviolent struggle deserves the attention of
the scientific, activist, strategic, military, spiritual, and
diplomatic communities, as well as the informed public.Mark A. Mattaini is associate professor at the Jane
Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago.
Editor of the scientific journal Behavior and Social Issues,
he is the author or editor of ten books, including PEACE POWER for
Adolescents: Strategies for a Culture of Nonviolence (NASW Press)
and Finding Solutions to Social Problems: Behavioral Strategies for
Change (American Psychological Association). Mattaini is the
principal developer of the behavior analytic PEACE POWER strategy,
which has been presented and implemented in at least twelve American
states, as well as two Canadian provinces, and was recently introduced
in a UNESCO-funded project in Brazil.
