Does nonviolent action require a charismatic leader (like Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr.) in order to be effective?
A. Nonviolent action does not depend on a charismatic leader in order to be effective. There are many examples of nonviolent action being used effectively without strong centralized leadership in the resistance (as in Serbia 2000 against Slobodan Milosevic). Exclusive dependence on a charismatic leader can even be detrimental to success, while wide diffusion of the skills to wage noncooperation and defiance can produce more reliable power.
Related Questions
- Does nonviolent action require any religious beliefs to be used effectively? Can nonviolent action only be used by pacifists?
- Does nonviolent action require a charismatic leader (like Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr.) in order to be effective?
- Must the leaders of nonviolent movements be charismatic, such as Gandhi or the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.?