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nonviolence
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thumb|Mahatma Gandhi, often considered a founder of the modern nonviolence movement, spread the concept of [[ahimsa through his movements and writings, which then inspired other nonviolent activists.]]
Nonviolence is a philosophy and practice of resisting injustice without using physical force, famously promoted by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi who spread the concept through their movements and writings. It matters because it has inspired activists around the world to pursue social and political change through peaceful means rather than violence.
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~52 min read
Article
29 sectionsContents
- Origins
- Forms of nonviolence
- Pragmatic
- Principled
- Semai people
- Religious
- Hinduism
- Ancient Vedic texts
- The Epics
- Self-defence, criminal law, and war
- Non-human life
- Jainism
- Buddhism
- War
- Laws
- Methods
- Acts of protest
- Noncooperation
- Nonviolent intervention
- Revolution
- Criticism
- Research
- Notable nonviolence theorists and practitioners
- See also
- References
- Citations
- Sources
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|Mahatma Gandhi, often considered a founder of the modern nonviolence movement, spread the concept of [[ahimsa through his movements and writings, which then inspired other nonviolent activists.]]
Nonviolence is the practice of working for social change without causing harm to others, under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome, and it may refer to a general philosophy of abstention from violence. It may be based on moral, religious or spiritual principles. The reasons for it may be strategic or pragmatic; failure to distinguish between the two can lead to distortion in the concept's meaning and effectiveness, which can subsequently result in confusion. Although both principled and pragmatic nonviolent approaches preach for nonviolence, they may have distinct motives, goals, philosophies, and techniques. However, rather than debating the best practice between the two approaches, both can indicate alternative paths for those who do not want to use violence.