Philosophy of non violence and breaking the law

 

Social change is a peculiar and elusive goal. The majority of us hope human society will evolve to deal with the difficulties that beset it, and yet those changes seem just out of our reach.

I vote, am active in my union, write letters to my MP, work with community groups to communicate ideas about issues I care about, have lobbied my MP in person and occasionally I break what society has defined the law.

And yet the law is a difficult thing. When I was 18 there were many different forms of demonstration and protest that the law has now made criminal offences. Democracy doesn’t seem quite what is used to be. The Criminal Justice Bill did Freedom of Speech no favours, and the barrage of new Terrorism laws are terrifying.

Today I facilitated a workshop helping individuals learn about Non Violent Direct Action at the Lewes community recycling centre. The centre is another alternative beacon hosting diverse groups such as Campaign Whale and the Common Cause collective.

The day challenges people to think about violence, non violence and puts them under stress to see how they behave, a test people can fail. It also teases a few ideas about the philosophies of non violence.

Ideas from Quakers bearing witness, shining a light into the dark corners of society, bringing public attention to those who try to hide their misdeeds. Voyages to the source of such problems, or banner drops and media stunts to awaken people, and let them makes there own decisions about what's going on.

Actions from the civil rights movement and the UK anti-road campaigns, stopping such misdeeds through non violent means. Blocking the bulldozer, boycotting the buses, making crimes against nature and society expensive and inconceivable to those perpetrating them..

Philosophies from Ghandi and Buddhism. Ways of thinking from Satyagraha, the quest for truth to Soteriology, the liberation from suffering.
That by our non violent actions and by the ever more desperate steps the state takes to prevent those actions, then we will demonstrate the truth of our arguments.
That between the great injustices that are done to society and our environment and the aberration of using violence to promote ones arguments there is always another way to achieve change.

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