There is a way for pacifism, but you don't do it by asking nicely. You say, "give us rights, and we're blocking central square completely. Do it before the local economy feels the hit!"
But it is important you're ready to face violence yourself. Because the town might decide to send the police on your protest. In this game, you have to bank on the nation having a conscience, especially the government. Considering the government is as evil as they are stupid... probably not a good bet.
I mean, Euromaidan was hardly "non-violent", although one side was definitely more guilty than the other. Also it literally triggered a Russian invasion that Ukraine had to fight off to a stalemate, that then flared up into a full scale war less than a decade later. Not exactly the poster child of a "pacifist" movement.
It wasn't neccessarily non-violent, no. Of course. But the protesters never went out with the direct aim of using violence, they defended themselves against the copious violence of the state.
I also wouldn't agree with the argument that it triggered the Russian invasion - The Russian invasion happened because Ukraine got rid of the Russian puppet of a president. I don't think that's a failure of the protestors. If anything, it's a failure of the rest of Europe that allowed Russia to act like this and tried to normalize that insanity. The sad sack of useless shit I have to call my president nowadays, Steinmeier, most of all.
I also wouldn't agree with the argument that it triggered the Russian invasion - The Russian invasion happened because Ukraine got rid of the Russian puppet of a president. I don't think that's a failure of the protestors.
Oh I don't blame the protesters for that one bit, that's entirely Russia's fault. But still, the invasion happened as a result of the overthrowing of the government via the Euromaidan movement, and Ukraine had to respond with military action in kind. Self-defence is morally fine, but it's not pacifism.
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u/aarontgp Jul 28 '26
There is a way for pacifism, but you don't do it by asking nicely. You say, "give us rights, and we're blocking central square completely. Do it before the local economy feels the hit!"
But it is important you're ready to face violence yourself. Because the town might decide to send the police on your protest. In this game, you have to bank on the nation having a conscience, especially the government. Considering the government is as evil as they are stupid... probably not a good bet.