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Gene Sharp Quotes

@gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social
104 followers 12 following 53 posts

The purpose of this account is to quote from Gene Sharp's inspiring works on nonviolent action. It does not engage in debate nor does it express opinions of its own. Gene’s books are available for free here: www.aeinstein.org/digital-library

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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
"Dictators require the assistance of the people they rule, without which they cannot secure and maintain the sources of political power.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
“No outside force is coming to give oppressed people the freedom they so much want. People will have to learn how to take that freedom themselves.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
"Dictators require the assistance of the people they rule, without which they cannot secure and maintain the sources of political power."
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
"All governments rely on cooperation and obedience for their very existence. When people choose to withhold or withdraw that cooperation, governments are left without any pillars to support their weight."
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
"All governments rely on cooperation and obedience for their very existence. When people choose to withhold or withdraw that cooperation, governments are left without any pillars to support their weight."
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
"All governments rely on cooperation and obedience for their very existence. When people choose to withhold or withdraw that cooperation, governments are left without any pillars to support their weight."
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
"Full cooperation, obedience, and support will increase the availability of the needed sources of power and, consequently, expand the power capacity of any government."
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
"Dictators require the assistance of the people they rule, without which they cannot secure and maintain the sources of political power.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
“No outside force is coming to give oppressed people the freedom they so much want. People will have to learn how to take that freedom themselves.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 09/12/2024
“No outside force is coming to give oppressed people the freedom they so much want. People will have to learn how to take that freedom themselves.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
"All governments rely on cooperation and obedience for their very existence. When people choose to withhold or withdraw that cooperation, governments are left without any pillars to support their weight."
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cNf...
youtube.com
Gene Sharp 1987 interview
YouTube video by genesharpfilm
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
“No outside force is coming to give oppressed people the freedom they so much want. People will have to learn how to take that freedom themselves.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
"It is our contention, that political defiance, or nonviolent struggle, is the most powerful means available to those struggling for freedom"
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
"It is our contention, that political defiance, or nonviolent struggle, is the most powerful means available to those struggling for freedom"
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
“No outside force is coming to give oppressed people the freedom they so much want. People will have to learn how to take that freedom themselves.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
“No outside force is coming to give oppressed people the freedom they so much want. People will have to learn how to take that freedom themselves.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
“No outside force is coming to give oppressed people the freedom they so much want. People will have to learn how to take that freedom themselves.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
"The dictators almost always have superiority in military hardware, ammunition, transportation, and the size of military forces. Despite bravery, the democrats are (almost always) no match."
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
"However long or briefly these democrats can continue, eventually the harsh military realities usually become inescapable."
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
"Whatever the merits of the violent option, however, one point is clear. By placing confidence in violent means, one has chosen the very type of struggle with which the oppressors nearly always have superiority. The dictators are equipped to apply violence overwhelmingly."
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"On the other hand, withdrawal of popular and institutional cooperation with aggressors and dictators diminishes, and may sever, the availability of the sources of power on which all rulers depend. Without availability of those sources, the rulers’ power weakens and finally dissolves." 10/10
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"Full cooperation, obedience, and support will increase the availability of the needed sources of power and, consequently, expand the power capacity of any government." 9/10
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"All of these sources, however, depend on acceptance of the regime, on the submission and obedience of the population, and on the cooperation of innumerable people and the many institutions of the society. These are not guaranteed." 8/10
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"Sanctions: punishments, threatened or applied, against the disobedient and non-cooperative to ensure the submission and cooperation that are needed for the regime to exist and carry out its policies." 7/10
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"Material resources: the degree to which the rulers control or have access to property, natural resources, financial resources, the economic system, and means of communication and transportation" 6/10
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"Intangible factors: psychological and ideological factors that may induce people to obey and assist the rulers;" 5/10
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"Skills and knowledge: needed by the regime to perform specific actions and supplied by the cooperating persons and groups;" 4/10
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"Human resources: the number and importance of the persons and groups which are obeying, cooperating, or providing assistance to the rulers" 3/10
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"Authority: the belief among the people that the regime is legitimate, and that they have a moral duty to obey it;" 2/10
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"Dictators require the assistance of the people they rule, without which they cannot secure and maintain the sources of political power. These sources of political power include:" 1/10
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"It is our contention, that political defiance, or nonviolent struggle, is the most powerful means available to those struggling for freedom" 3/3
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"Success is most often determined not by negotiating a settlement but through the wise use of the most appropriate and powerful means of resistance available." 2/3
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
"Resistance, not negotiations, is essential for change in conflicts where fundamental issues are at stake. In nearly all cases, resistance must continue to drive dictators out of power" 1/3
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Two facts must be remembered. First, in negotiations it is not the relative justice of the conflicting views and objectives that determines the content of a negotiated agreement. Second, the content of a negotiated agreement is largely determined by the power capacity of each side. (2/2)
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
“Negotiation” does not mean that the two sides sit down together on a basis of equality and talk through and resolve the differences that produced the conflict between them. (1/2)
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
“No outside force is coming to give oppressed people the freedom they so much want. People will have to learn how to take that freedom themselves.” Gene Sharp is essential!!
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
“No outside force is coming to give oppressed people the freedom they so much want. People will have to learn how to take that freedom themselves.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
“No outside force is coming to give oppressed people the freedom they so much want. People will have to learn how to take that freedom themselves.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
"On the other hand, when the opposition is exceptionally strong and the dictatorship is genuinely threatened, the dictators may seek negotiations in order to salvage as much of their control or wealth as possible. In neither case should the democrats help the dictators achieve their goals." 4/4
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
"When the dictatorship is strong but an irritating resistance exists, the dictators may wish to negotiate the opposition into surrender under the guise of making “peace.” The call to negotiate can sound appealing, but grave dangers can be lurking within the negotiating room." 3/4
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
"They could at their own initiative without any bargaining restore respect for human dignity and rights, free political prisoners, end torture, halt military operations, withdraw from the government, and apologize to the people." 2/4
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
"The offer by a dictatorship of “peace” through negotiations with the democratic opposition is, of course, rather disingenuous. The violence could be ended immediately by the dictators themselves, if only they would stop waging war on their own people." 1/4
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
“No outside force is coming to give oppressed people the freedom they so much want. People will have to learn how to take that freedom themselves.”
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
All governments rely on cooperation and obedience for their very existence. When people choose to withhold or withdraw that cooperation, governments are left without any pillars to support their weight. (4/4)
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
In other words, people may refuse to do things they are asked to do, and may do what they are forbidden to do. (3/4)
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
It is a technique built on the social, economic, and political application of basic human stubbornness - the determination and ability to dissent, to refuse to cooperate, to defy, and to disrupt. (2/4)
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Nonviolent struggle is a technique for conducting conflicts by social, psychological, economic, and political methods of protest, non-cooperation, and disruptive intervention. (1/4)
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
4. One must develop a wise grand strategic plan for liberation and implement it skillfully
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Gene Sharp Quotes @gene-sharp-quotes.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
3. One must create a powerful internal resistance force
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