Editing Nonviolence (section)

===Nonviolent intervention===

Compared with protest and noncooperation, nonviolent intervention is a more direct method of nonviolent action. Nonviolent intervention can be used defensively—for example to maintain an institution or independent initiative—or offensively- for example, to drastically forward a nonviolent cause into the "territory" of those who oppose it. Intervention is often more immediate and initially effective than the other two methods, but is also harder to maintain and more taxing to the participants involved. 

[[Gene Sharp]], a political scientist who sought to advance the worldwide study and use of strategic nonviolent action in conflict, wrote extensively about the methods of nonviolent action. In his 1973 book ''Waging Nonviolent Struggle'' he described 198 methods of nonviolent action, and in it places several examples of [[Constructive Program|constructive program]] in this category.<ref>{{Cite journal | url = http://peacemagazine.org/198.htm | title = The Methods of Nonviolent Action | last = Sharp | first = Gene | author-link = Gene Sharp | year = 1973 | journal = Peace Magazine | access-date = 2008-11-07 | archive-date = 2021-05-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210502180047/http://peacemagazine.org/198.htm | url-status = live }}</ref> In early Greece, [[Aristophanes]]' [[Lysistrata]] gives the fictional example of women withholding sexual favors from their husbands until war was abandoned (a [[sex strike]]). A modern work of fiction inspired by Gene Sharp and by Aristophanes is the 1986 novel ''[[A Door into Ocean]]'' by [[Joan Slonczewski]], depicting an ocean world inhabited by women who use nonviolent means to repel armed space invaders. Other methods of nonviolent intervention include occupations ([[sit-in]]s), fasting ([[hunger strikes]]), truck cavalcades, and dual sovereignty/parallel government.<ref name="sharp2005" />

Tactics must be carefully chosen, taking into account political and cultural circumstances, and form part of a larger plan or strategy.

Successful [[Third Party Nonviolent Intervention|nonviolent cross-border intervention]] projects include the Guatemala Accompaniment Project,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nisgua.org/|title=Home|website=NISGUA|access-date=2023-05-12|archive-date=2023-05-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512100759/https://nisgua.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Peace Brigades International]] and [[Christian Peacemaker Teams]]. Developed in the early 1980s, and originally inspired by the Gandhian [[Shanti Sena]], the primary tools of these organisations have been nonviolent protective accompaniment, backed up by a global support network which can respond to threats, local and regional grassroots diplomatic and [[peacebuilding]] efforts, human rights observation and witnessing, and reporting.<ref>{{cite web | title=PBI's principles | url=http://www.peacebrigades.org/about-pbi/how-we-work/ | website=Peace Brigades International | publisher=PBI General Assembly | orig-date=1992 | year=2001 | access-date=2009-05-17 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602190353/http://www.peacebrigades.org/about-pbi/how-we-work/ | archive-date=2010-06-02 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Christian Peace Maker Teams Mission Statement | url=http://www.cpt.org/about/mission | website=Christian Peacemaker Team | publisher=CPT founding conference | year=1986 | access-date=2009-05-17 | archive-date=2021-05-02 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502180119/https://cpt.org/about/mission | url-status=live }}</ref>  In extreme cases, most of these groups are also prepared to do interpositioning: placing themselves between parties who are engaged or threatening to engage in outright attacks in one or both directions.  Individual and large group cases of interpositioning, when called for, have been remarkably effective in dampening conflict and saving lives.

Another powerful tactic of nonviolent intervention invokes public scrutiny of the perceived oppressors as a result of the resisters remaining nonviolent in the face of violent repression. If the military or police attempt to repress nonviolent resisters violently, the power to act shifts from the hands of the oppressors to those of the resisters. If the resisters are persistent, the military or police will be forced to accept the fact that they no longer have any power over the resisters. Often, the willingness of the resisters to suffer has a profound effect on the mind and emotions of the oppressor, leaving them unable to commit such a violent act again.<ref>{{cite book | last = Sharp | first = Gene | author-link = Gene Sharp | title = The Politics of Nonviolent Action | publisher = P. Sargent Publisher | year = 1973 | page = [https://archive.org/details/politicsofnonvio00gene/page/657 657] | isbn = 978-0-87558-068-5 | url = https://archive.org/details/politicsofnonvio00gene | url-access = registration }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last = Sharp | first = Gene | author-link = Gene Sharp | title = Waging Nonviolent Struggle | publisher = Extending Horizon Books | year = 2005 | page = [https://archive.org/details/wagingnonviolent0000shar/page/381 381] | isbn = 978-0-87558-162-0 | url = https://archive.org/details/wagingnonviolent0000shar/page/381 }}</ref>