Five studies investigated the effects of nonviolent (vs. violent) strategies on people’s reactions to social movements. In a correlation study with a nested design, across 23 movements perceived use of violence negatively predicted participants’ willingness to support and join the movement (Study 1). This effect was also found experimentally, with Americans being more supportive of nonviolent r...

Contemporary Buddhists have in recent decades given the world outstanding examples of nonviolent activism. Although these movements have demonstrated great courage and have generated massive popular support, sadly, none of them has, as yet, prevailed. In this paper I will explore how nonviolent power was exercised in these cases. I will draw upon the work of nonviolent theorist Gene Sharp to he...

Our ability to interact symbolically has resulted in the uniquely human capacity to comprehend the other as equal. This in turn has led to another fundamentally human development, that of cooperative social contracts and institutions. Contracts and institutions offer humans an alternative to the animalistic use and the threat of the use of violence and have transformed human interaction into on...