8a. Introduction

One could argue that strong nationalism, like that expressed in the song, also foments violence when pitted against ideological commitment to another nation. However, in cases where national or ethnic culture is being suppressed by a violent dictatorship or occupier, then musical traditions central to a people’s identity can serve as tools of nonviolent resistance.

In the previous two modules we looked at nonviolent resistance movements – against colonial occupation in India (Module 6) and against human rights violations in North America (Module 7). In this module, we will examine some additional resistance movements that bear similarities to what occurred in India and the United States, but that responded to somewhat different forces of violence. Mainly, we will explore peace movements that resisted the violence of Nazism during the Second World War. As comparison, we will then look briefly at what are often called ‘uprisings’ against dictatorships in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

First, let’s consider the term ‘resistance’ more closely. There are different ways to understand the term:

• In earlier modules, we explored examples of ‘nonresistance’ – derived from biblical teachings about not resisting evil and turning the other cheek – promoted by Tolstoy and the Historic Peace Churches. Sometimes nonresistance is viewed as a passive stance.
• We also learned about examples of ‘active resistance’ – whereby nonviolent action was a tool to counter violent oppression. This was the case for Gandhi’s movement of noncooperation with the British Raj and for protestors of racial segregation in the United States. Active resistance is part of Gene Sharp’s program of nonviolent struggle.

For the purpose of this course, we will use this definition: 

A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups within the civil population, dedicated to fighting an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign nation through either the use of physical force, or nonviolence.¹

Many resistance movements, historically and in the present, struggle against tyranny of some kind. They are often called ‘liberation movements.’ Resistance movements frequently face repression, depending on the severity of the oppressor, and must be prepared to respond. This is where nonviolence is tested most acutely. Theorists and advocates of nonviolent resistance to authoritarian regimes say that success depends on mass mobilization to undermine those in power: large scale noncooperation with tyranny eventually breaks down the legitimacy of those in power.

Choosing peaceful methods to counter violent conflict takes courage and ingenuity. These qualities are certainly evident in the individuals and groups we will learn about in this module. As you are working through the material, think about the goals of the peace movement, the tactics used, and whether there is an identifiable philosophy or ideology. As well, the role of symbols is especially interesting in these examples.