Active Non-Violence: A Means of Personal and Social Change
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Date
2001-04
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Tangaza University College
Abstract
Violence is as old as humanity. Efforts have always been there at various levels to
minimize it yet the world today appears to be more violent than ever. More weapons than
ever stand poised at all times on the brink of disaster. In part, this is seen as reason why the
Americans keep an eye on Saddam Hussein, the President of Iraq for fear that he could
destroy the whole Middle East or even the world. Today, many people live on a nervous edge
all the time, thus requiring the large number of psychologists and psychiatrists that the world
has. Before the era of the present advanced technology, one would destroy another person
with a spear. Today, it would only take the press of a button to extinguish the whole world.
For many years, many people have believed and acted as if the only solution to conflict is
violence. Unfortunately, this is not the whole truth. Violence is a quick-fix method that
succeeds in as much as it instills fear in the weaker party, leading to the withdrawal or
submission of the weaker one. But the source of conflict still lurks. We see this in families
that believe in corporal punishment as the one and only means of instilling discipline in their
children. A child may have the habit of not eating in their house but feed to its full at the
neighbor's. As a result, the parents constantly beat the child for doing so. Though the child,
out of fear of more beatings may stop the habit, the reason underlying the behavior will not
have been addressed. For instance, it could be that at the neighbor's, the family sits round
the meals and each and every individual's needs are catered for, thus creating a very homely
atmosphere which may be lacking at the child's home. Violence is force or the use of force
that is injurious and destructive of the life or quality of life or dignity of any human person.
Violence begets violence. Active non-violence on the other hand, is a way of life towards personal, social,
national and international change based on the power of truth and the force of love. Parties
in conflict dialogue for the betterment of all the stakeholders. There is no winner or loser.
Violence has wrecked havoc in Africa; the continent has the largest number of refugees.
Generally speaking, the refugee situation in, for example, Guinea is the worst in the world.
The people are the poorest not because they are lazy but because of profit-driven economic
integration that favors the already rich. However, we find non-violent ways of conflict
resolutions though non-violence by the use of masses is a new concept. To some
communities, especially the so-called warrior communities, such a concept is difficult to
digest.
There are cases where religion has been used to perpetrate violence. Examples of
this include the Historical Christian crusades and the Jihad. However, the holy books such as
the Qur'an, the Bible and the Gita among others, underline non-violence, portraying the
Supreme Being as one of Justice and Peace and not war. For peace to reign in this world, it is
important that the faithful adhere to their religious teachings and constantly dialogue among
themselves and with other religions. This Long Essay is an effort to critique violence as the
solution to conflicts and to propose an alternative, Active Non-violence, as a more effective
and long lasting solution.
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Keywords
Non Violence, Social Change, Personal violence, Structural violence, Root causes of violence, Responses to Violence, Non-violence in African cultures, Civil Disobedience