Power of Nonviolence - Hardcover

Ti HERE WILL always be conflicts, great and small, in human affairs. The H-bomb has made it obvious that total war can no longer settle conflicts. And clearly no conflict can be ended in its inner reality by the alleged deterrence from the possession of nuclear weapons. In such a stalemate the possibility of using nonviolent resistance might be worth examining. At first mention, the term nonviolent resistance seems self-contradictory. How can any resistance be effective in this modern world unless it has in it and backing it up, great strength, power and, if need be, weapons? At least a threat of violence seems an essential of resistance. Nevertheless, there have been instances in history where great courage, deep conviction and a fine cause have prevailed, without violence, against armed might. Gandhi sstruggle for the freedom of India was one instance. In this book we shall examine the nature of the force used in such instances, and see whether it can be applied to other conflict situations. The unity of the human species is not only a biological and physiological fact; it is, when wisely and fully asserted and acted upon, a great power. Human unity is actual in mans universal capacity to think, feel, will, understand and act, and to apprehend spiritual truths. Human unity is a power that can overcome all differences of race, nationality, ideology or culture. Military leaders have aroused partial unity by means of fear, pride, anger, hate and lies. But unity can also be aroused, more fruitfully and enduringly, by love and the desire for justice. This book is a partial examination of how and why human unity can help solve human conflicts. Is nonviolent resistance intellectually and morally respectable or not? If it is at all practical anywhere, to what extent, and why? Is it applicable in the West, or not? It is difficult for one trained in modern Western m
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)