passive resistance

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passive resistance

A group of citizens sits silently in a public square, engaging in passive resistance.

Definition

Noun: * A form of protest or opposition to authority, especially a government, that is characterized by non-violent, non-cooperative actions. This method deliberately avoids physical aggression or violence. Instead, it employs tactics such as refusal to obey laws, fasting, sit-ins, work stoppages, or civil disobedience to achieve political or social goals.

Usage

This term is used to describe a specific strategy within social and political movements. It emphasizes the passive or non-violent nature of the resistance, even in the face of potential provocation or force from authorities. * It is often associated with historical movements led by figures like Mahatma Gandhi. * It functions as a mass noun (uncountable) and is not typically used in the plural.

Examples
  • The activists organized a campaign of passive resistance against the unjust law.
  • His philosophy centered on passive resistance and civil disobedience as tools for change.
  • The government found it difficult to respond to the widespread passive resistance from the population.
Advanced Usage
  • As a strategic concept: The term can be analyzed in political science and philosophy as a coherent doctrine of non-violent action.
  • In historical context: Often used to describe specific historical struggles, such as the Indian independence movement or the American Civil Rights Movement.
Variants and Related Words
  • Civil disobedience: A specific form of passive resistance involving the deliberate and public refusal to obey certain laws as a form of protest.
  • Nonviolent resistance: A broader, near-synonymous term for opposition using peaceful methods.
  • Satyagraha: (From Sanskrit) A term coined by Gandhi, literally meaning "truth force" or "soul force," which encompasses the philosophy and practice of non-violent resistance.
Synonyms
  • Nonviolent protest
  • Non-cooperation
  • Civil resistance
Antonyms
  • Armed rebellion
  • Violent resistance
  • Aggression
Related Idioms/Phrases
  • To offer passive resistance: To engage in this form of protest.
    • The prisoners offered only passive resistance to the guards.
passive resistance

A group of citizens sits silently in a public square, engaging in passive resistance.

Noun
  1. peaceful resistance to a government by fasting or refusing to cooperate