Blueprint for revolution
"In Blueprint for Revolution, Srdja Popovic outlines his philosophy for implementing peaceful world change and provides a model for activists everywhere through stories of his own experience toppling dictatorships (peacefully) and of smaller examples of social change (like Occupy Wall Street or fighting for gay rights or zoning changes). Through examples of using laughter and music (e.g., Pussy Riot) to disarm the opposition and gather supporters, to staging a protest of Lego Men in Siberia (when flesh-and-blood people would have been shot), to a boycott of Cottage cheese in Israel to challenge price inflation while organizing around rice pudding to overthrow the dictator of the Maldives, Popovic uses true and sometimes outrageously clever examples of the ways in which non-violent resistance has achieved its means. Popovic argues in favor of non-violent resistance not for ideological reasons (as persuasive as those are) but because non-violence actually works better than violence. An inspiring (and useful!) guide for any activist--and a thoroughly entertaining read for any armchair politico"
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2recommend
4mentions
2people
2019–2022years
75% recommend25% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- You can read the book:
Blueprint for Revolution: How to Use Rice Pudding, Lego Men, and Other Nonviolent Techniques to Galvanize Communities, Overthrow Dictators, or Simply Change the World
It proposes many interesting strategies and ideas on how to protest in dictatorships. Be subtle, use humor and focus your message on the most common people. Don't call for democracy, free speech or anything like that. You will be branded as foreign forces. Find something every Russian believes in like peace or the brotherly bonds between Russiand and Ukrainians. Pick small battles to win first.
- Suggested readings:
"The Culting of Brands" - https://www.amazon.com/Culting-Brands-Turn-Customers-Believe...
Blueprint for Revolution (as mentioned in Adam Grant's Originals) - https://www.amazon.com/Blueprint-Revolution-Nonviolent-Techn...
Tribes by Seth Godin -https://www.amazon.com/Tribes-We-Need-You-Lead/dp/1491514736
The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements - https://www.amazon.com/True-Believer-Thoughts-Nature-Movemen...
I've read the first three. The fourth is on my short list. The common theme? Start in a tight niche and establish a core of "fanatics". With a niche and a core your odds of traction and sustainability drop off.
If it helps, use any major religion as a reference point. That is, Christianity wasn't always the dominate (?) force it is today. But it started very small and tight.
A community isn't much different. Perhaps less extreme (?), but the same basic elements remain.
- I read it best put in the book "Blueprint for Revolution" (which, believe it or not, was mentioned in Adam Grants' "Originals").
Long to short, Popovic wrote: nonviolence is more successful because it casts a wider / deeper net. Adding violence to your tactic severely reduces the number who will embrace and participate in your change movement.
- I am reading the book Blueprint for Revolution that advocates non-violent activism. In fact, non-violence has to be a core value of your group and you have to actively enforce it among your members. It's often said that violent protest are needed because change happens too slow. The book argues that violence is counterproductive and will only slow down whatever you want to achieve.
Often times, authoritarian regimes actively provoke a violent response or plant infiltrators. Instead of being seen as a reasonable group of people with a just cause, you will be painted as rioters, thieves, and terrorists who are stealing for your own benefit or are bribed by foreign forces.
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