Comments on: “Goshen College has never been anti-American.” https://www.peoplevstate.com/?p=1084 fairly undermining public confidence in the administration of justice Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:29:04 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4.15 By: Marko https://www.peoplevstate.com/?p=1084&cpage=1#comment-1792 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 07:14:29 +0000 http://www.peoplevstate.com/?p=1084#comment-1792 Mahatma Gandhi, perhaps the internationally best known paragon of the political use of non-violence, said that if he had been faced with a regime such as the fascist states of Europe (as opposed to the ‘gentler’ british colonialists) would have been likely to raise arms in defence of his loved ones. Non violence to him was a tactic, strategy as well as way of life. As a tactic, it would have been useless against (say) the nazis in an anti-colonial struggle.

Of course, non violent tactics *were* used against the nazis by various resistance groups in occupied Europe with varying degrees of success, and almost always at a great cost.

The state’s monopoly of armed force is directed at its subject citizens, and tends to be maintained by force of arms if challenged. The activist must take this into account when mounting a challenge. Sometimes (mostly) non violence if used smart will have effect. Sometimes, however, it won’t. Everyone who has made a big difference when facing the empire, from JC to Ghandi, seems to have recognised this and, as all successful political actors must, have been prepared to vary their tactics to suit the situation.

Of note regarding the temple incident, a week later was the execution. The usual fate of armed revolutionaries.

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