Challenges to US imperialism based on armed struggle have been largely unsuccessful. A much more promising strategy is non-violent popular action, which has only begun to be taken seriously for its potential long-term effectiveness. Six case studies – the Vietnam war, nuclear weapons, East Timor, Iraq, Puerto Rico and the so-called Arab Spring – illustrate the potential of popular unarmed resistance to facets of the US imperial system. This approach warrants further development.
Non-violence versus US Imperialism by Jørgen Johansen, Brian Martin and Matt Meyer
Jørgen Johansen (johansen.jorgen@gmail.com) is a freelance academic and activist and editor of Resistance Studies Magazine; Brian Martin (bmartin@uow.edu.au) is professor of social sciences at the University of Wollongong, Australia; Matt Meyer (mmmsrnb@igc.org) is an activist, author, and editor, working with Africa World Press and PM Press, and a frequent contributor to WagingNonviolence.org and NewClearVision.com.