A Force More Powerful
Great presence in that. Great concept. And perfect title for a book about non-violent conflict resolution. Which turned into a TV documentary series, and now an excellent video game, all of the same title.
The book Introduction page opens on this quote from religious philosopher Blaise Pascal:
Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.
Then it begins to weave the story of the Solidarity movement that shook the foundation of the communist power in Poland, which led to a martial law crackdown. But the workers had already won and it was the beginning of the end of Communism.
…Solidarity had already defined the course of the conflict, by stripping the regime of the Polish people’s consent. When the state had run out of ways to coerce their compliance, it would have to come to terms.
…This was the most important political change that the twentieth century wrought, but it would not have come to pass without the actions of ordinary people who defied oppressive rulers through nonviolent power rather than by force of arms.
How that power was developed and applied is the subject of the book, the series and the computer game A Force More Powerful – The Game of Nonviolent Strategy. Two guys were behind the original book and series, Peter Ackerman and Jack Duvall of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict. With the help of veteran game designers, they produced AFMP, a unique game of strategy that emphasizes abstract ideas and planning rather than reflexes and a fast trigger finger.
In fact, the game is about planning a nonviolent movement for social change with tactics that have worked in many historical events (the book covers that), like protest, strikes, mass civil disobedience and noncooperation. There are many computer-generated scenarios to follow, and ‘movement leaders’ pursue goals like forcing free elections or the resignation of a dictator. Again, based on what’s worked before.
Check it out at www.afmpgame.com. It’s being used as a training tool by some groups now involved in nonviolent conflict resolution around the world. Those organized movements aren’t getting air time on the news, but they’re active in China and Iran, among many other repressive places.
A Force More Powerful. We could sure use that now.
