We Shall Never Be Moved: The Art of Australian Nonviolence

Abstract

Despite much evidence of its effectiveness, nonviolence has not gained widespread recognition by the public or the media, with the success of major campaigns being attributed to their leaders or some ill defined 'people power' (Summy 2000:4-5). Yet nonviolence is a key element in successful social change. It creates long-term solutions, whereas violent change often creates as many problems as it solves (Young 1990:217-220). It has been practiced for thousands of years (Fang 1997:73; Woito 1997:358), being successful in resolving interpersonal conflicts (Peavey 2000:340-343), and on the macro-level in toppling brutal regimes throughout the world (Ackermann and Duvall 2000). Nonviolence could thus be used far more widely, to reduce injustice, poverty, environmental destruction, war and other forms of violence, but this partly requires that its successes are publicised and analysed. This is, in part, an attempt to do just that, by exposing and analysing the role of nonviolence in a number of Australian protest campaigns.