Non-violence : the history of a dangerous idea

In this timely, highly original, and controversial narrative, New York Times bestselling author Mark Kurlansky discusses nonviolence as a distinct entity, a course of action, rather than a mere state of mind. Nonviolence can and should be a technique for overcoming social injustice and ending wars, he asserts, which is why it is the preferred method of those who speak truth to power. Nonviolence is a sweeping yet concise history that moves from ancient Hindu times to present-day conflicts raging in the Middle East and elsewhere. Kurlansky also brings into focus just why nonviolence is a "dangerous" idea, and asks such provocative questions as: Is there such a thing as a "just war"? Could nonviolence have worked against even the most evil regimes in history? Kurlansky draws from history twenty-five provocative lessons on the subject that we can use to effect change today. He shows how, time and again, violence is used to suppress nonviolence and its practitioners-Gandhi and Martin Luther King, for example; that the stated deterrence value of standing national armies and huge weapons arsenals is, at best, negligible; and, encouragingly, that much of the hard work necessary to begin a movement to end war is already complete. It simply needs to be embraced and accelerated. Engaging, scholarly, and brilliantly reasoned, Nonviolence is a work that compels readers to look at history in an entirely new way. This is not just a manifesto for our times but a trailblazing book whose time has come… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member janeherr

When I saw how few people had this book and no one had reviewed I really got the picture as to why we can't have world peace. If I could only give Bush and all his cronies copies and make them read it (it's easy enough, even they could do it!). Although I realize much of the information is

simplified for a popular audience the bottom line is there is no reason for war (not even the ever popular WWII) and a non-violent approach is always the easiest and of course most logical choice.

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LibraryThing member derekstaff

A brilliant book examining the history of nonviolence. Conventional wisdom holds that nonviolence is the dream for idealistic fools and naïve dreamers; a sweet idea, but one incredibly ineffectual in “the real world.” Kurlansky digs through history to refute this idea. He presents evidence

that the success of Gandhi’s nonviolent revolution in India is hardly the singular, nor the result of a confluence of serendipitous conditions which cannot be duplicated elsewhere. Other nonviolent movements throughout history have not failed because of the deficiencies of nonviolence, but because the bases for those movements (such as Christianity and Buddhism) have been coopted and distorted by forces wishing to legitimate the use of violence, and because the advocates of nonviolence abandoned faith in their principles before they could be tested. Kurlansky presents evidence that the use of violence has often been much less successful than it has been depicted, and typically has frightful side-effects. A well reasoned and extremely thoughtful book.

This book should be required reading in every High School in the U.S. It could be the basis for some fascinating discussions in civics or humanities classes, and might spur some incredible and much needed paradigm shifts in the rising generation.

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LibraryThing member John5918

This is a good book about an important subject - but not as good as I expected.

It starts off fairly well and seems to do OK until it reaches modern times. I then found it rather weak. The section on Gandhi seems to break off without completion, and then it jumps straight into nuclear weapons. That

section is very US-oriented, with no mention of CND, for example. The ending of the book also appears weak.

Disappointing, really.

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LibraryThing member mikewick

Kurlansky, in this wonderful introduction to the idea of nonviolence shows that, while not having a word that describes it as a proactive power, nonviolence has a rich history and is gaining strength as a method of initiating change. Retelling its history by drawing 25 lessons from his research,

Kurlasnky does a fantastic job not only of providing a lesson on history, religion, and political power, but of a blueprint for changing society through nonviolence struggle.

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LibraryThing member nmele

I didn't particularly enjoy Kurlansky's book on nonviolence--although his facts are accurate, they are often incomplete and his tone is snarky throughout. Someone whose introduction to nonviolence is this book is likely to reject the whole business.

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