From Dictatorship to Democracy
by Gene Sharp · first published 2003
73% recommend27% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Short, practical overview of nonviolent methods for resisting authoritarian rule, including how opposition movements are disrupted and how to respond; suits readers studying civil resistance or political change.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
From Dictatorship to Democracy, A Conceptual Framework for Liberation is a book-length essay on the generic problem of how to destroy a dictatorship and to prevent the rise of a new one, using a nonviolent strategy. Now in its fourth edition, it was originally handed out by the Albert Einstein Institution, and although never actively promoted, to date it has been translated into over thirty languages. This book traveled as a photocopied pamphlet from Burma to Indonesia, Serbia and most recently Egypt, Tunisia and Syria, with dissent in China also reported. This how-to guide has inspire
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…popular action to bring about more freedom, point your Web browser to the Albert Einstein Institute publications http://www.aeinstein.org/organizationsde07.html and choose your language for titles like From Dictatorship to Democracy and The Role of Power in Nonviolent Struggle and others. Note that the main author of these publications has consulted with freedom movements all over the world and has had notable success in the Philippines,…
on “United States Sentencing Commission website hacked” ↗…toughness, because the dictator's side could use violence, but always the people outnumber the rulers. The people just have to learn how to stand together, overcoming their own fear. Start your reading with From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation if you are wondering where to start among the several handbooks on the Einstein Institution website. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5985720 [2] http://www.aeinstein.org/downloads/
on “UN: Nations hide rise in private digital snooping” ↗The book From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation by Gene Sharp (a free download from the Albert Einstein Institution)[1] explains many of the hard-learned lessons of democracy movements around the world. Dictatorships…
on “From dictatorship to democracy: The road less travelled” ↗…nonviolent revolutionary movements detailing derailing tactics and how to respond to them. The Albert Einstein Institution's book list is a good start: http://www.aeinstein.org/english/ . In particular, From Dictatorship to Democracy. Studying how opposition movements are disrupted is also helpful. For these, go to the source. FBI's COINTELPRO and HOODWINK documents (the YELLCASING is their thing), the Lewis Powell memo: http://reclaimdemocracy.org/powell_memo_lewis/…
on “How Silicon Valley CEOs conspired to drive down tech engineer wages” ↗…Einstein Institute. The institute has several different publications available for free download in multiple languages, http://www.aeinstein.org/organizationsde07.html among which I especially recommend From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation http://www.aeinstein.org/organizations/org/FDTD.pdf as a how-to guide for gaining freedom even when the dictators are willing to torture and kill to limit freedom.…
on “Ask HN: The government has been exposed now what?” ↗Gene Sharp is excellent, I am reading From Dictatorship to Democracy. On the subject, I think the biggest problem is how to make people understand how serious this is, make them see that the similarities between what is happening and totalitarianism and even fascism is…
on “'Sending a message': what the US and UK are attempting to do” ↗…eventually even convincing the Nazis who were based in Denmark to sabotage their own country's plans. Read more here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_of_the_Danish_Jews And I also recommend the book "From Dictatorship to Democracy" by Gene Sharp which outlines many principles and techniques for non-violent resistance.
on “DOD officials say autonomous killing machines deserve a look” ↗From Dictatorship to Democracy by Gene Sharp is one I haven’t seen posted yet. https://www.aeinstein.org/from-dictatorship-to-democracy/
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗It's short. From dictatorship to democracy : a conceptual framework for liberation by Gene Sharp is the "tell me more" version, 138 pages. Includes non-violent ways to gum up the progress of tyranny.
on “On Tyranny [book]” ↗…for more freedom wherever you live, I suggest you read deeply in the publications of the Albert Einstein Institution, http://www.aeinstein.org/organizationsde07.html remembering that the transition from dictatorship to democracy described in those publications is an actual historical process with recent examples around the world that we can all learn from. AFTER EDIT: Good catch by the readers who noticed the non-American English…
on “Statement from Edward Snowden in Moscow” ↗…wherever you live, I suggest you read deeply in the free, downloadable publications of the Albert Einstein Institution, http://www.aeinstein.org/organizationsde07.html remembering that the transition from dictatorship to democracy described in those publications is an actual historical process with recent examples around the world that we can all learn from. You can find publications in Arabic, Azeri, Belarusian, Burmese, Burma…
on “Restore the Fourth” ↗If you havn't already read it, "From Dictatorship to Democracy" supports some of your points. http://www.aeinstein.org/organizations/org/FDTD.pdf
on “ The gun control that works: no guns ” ↗…question: if the government has unofficially declared war on the civilian public - should the public declare war on the government? These books by Gene Sharpe are worthy of further study (especially "From Dictatorship to Democracy"): http://www.aeinstein.org/english Perhaps a new form of government entirely? e.g. decision making using the jury system: http://equalitybylot.wordpress.com Very encouraging that more people are…
on “Governments admit to faking terrorism: a list” ↗…found myself asking what exactly is this Albert Einstein institute, that goes around translating things to such languages as Kachin (that's the Burma (Jing-paw) mentioned)? The most translated item is From Dictatorship to Democracy, a book by Gene Sharp. Who is Gene Sharp? On the face of it, someone who following their youth as a conscientious objector made a career out of the academic study of nonviolence, with some strong help…
on “Here’s who spent their Fourth of July protesting the NSA” ↗…succeed in a society where mercenaries keep the peace?" is a good question and I was never sure either until I watched a show on FSTV called "How to Start a Revolution" about Gene Sharp and his book "From Dictatorship to Democracy": http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/23/world/gene-sharp-revolutionary... It's hard for me to say what the gist of it is, but if I had to try, it would be that nonviolence is a powerful weapon against totalitarianism…
on “Will robots steal our jobs? The humble loom suggests not” ↗