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Scholar Gene Sharp reviewed thousands of instances of nonviolent struggle and catalogued 198
different methods that were used in those encounters. At one point he called these methods
"weapons," to emphasize that they are used in conflict situations. He listed them and gave historical
examples of each in his 1973 book The Politics of Nonviolent Action. He grouped them into three
broad categories: protest, noncooperation, and intervention, and then he further broke those into
smaller classifications.

The methods of intervention may often be more directly confrontive, while the methods of
noncooperation may in some situations be less so. These two groups of methods can be coercive,
that is, make it impossible for an opponent to rule or carry out their policies. The other category,
which Sharp calls "protest and persuasion," has methods that tend to be less confrontive, but in
some situations (for example some police states) the opponent may consider them highly
threatening and react accordingly.

We use Gene Sharp's classification of 198 methods in this database. He acknowledges that some
methods can arguably be placed in a different category, depending on circumstance, and his
classification should not be regarded as rigid. Some of the names of the methods may not be self-
explanatory, so I have taken the liberty of interpreting some of them, often using Sharp's own words
in the process. (Press the button "More" for further interpretation.) The material is drawn from his
1973 book, The Politics of Nonviolent Action: Part One, Power and Struggle (Boston: Porter
Sargeant Publishers). Any errors I make of interpretation are my responsibility alone.

Additional methods: In researching for this database we have identified methods beyond Sharp's
198. They may of course be controversial. The user encountering them in reading the cases will
probably want to return to this page and press the "More" button for those methods in order to
discover our rationale for adding these methods to the 198. - George Lakey, 20/8/11
Hide... Show more...

THE METHODS OF NONVIOLENT PROTEST AND PERSUASION

Formal Statements
001. Public speeches
002. Letters of opposition or support More...

003. Declarations by organizations and institutions

004. Signed public statements More...

005. Declarations of indictment and intention More...

006. Group or mass petitions

Communications with a wider audience
007. Slogans, caricatures, and symbols
008. Banners, posters, and displayed communications
More...

009. Leaflets, pamphlets, and books More...

010. Newspapers and journals

011. Records, radio, and television More...
 012. Skywriting and earthwriting
Group representations
013. Deputations More...

014. Mock awards

015. Group lobbying More...

016. Picketing
017. Mock elections
Symbolic public acts
018. Displays of flags and symbolic colors
019. Wearing of symbols
020. Prayer and worship
021. Delivering symbolic objects
022. Protest disrobings
023. Destruction of own property More...

024. Symbolic lights

025. Displays of portraits
026. Paint as protest More...

027. New signs and names

028. Symbolic sounds
029. Symbolic reclamations More...

030. Rude gestures

Pressures on individuals
031. "Haunting" officials More...

032. Taunting officials

033. Fraternization More...

034. Vigils
Drama and Music
035. Humorous skits and pranks
036. Performances of plays and music
037. Singing
Processions
038. Marches More...

039. Parades More...

040. Religious processions More...

041. Pilgrimages More...

042. Motorcades More...

Honoring the dead
043. Political mourning More...

044. Mock funerals More...

045. Demonstrative funerals More...

046. Homage at burial places More...

Public assemblies
047. Assemblies of protest or support More...

048. Protest meetings More...

049. Camouflaged meetings of protest

050. Teach-ins
Withdrawal and renunciation
051. Walk-outs More...

052. Silence
053. Renouncing honours
 054. Turning one's back

THE METHODS OF NONCOOPERATION

SOCIAL NONCOOPERATION
Ostracism of persons
055. Social boycott
056. Selective social boycott More...

057. Lysistratic nonaction More...

058. Excommunication
059. Interdict More...
Noncooperation with social events, customs
and institutions
060. Suspension of social and sports activities
061. Boycott of social affairs
062. Student strike
063. Social disobedience More...

064. Withdrawal from social institutions

Withdrawal from the social system
065. Stay-at-home
066. Total personal noncooperation More...

067. "Flight" of workers

068. Sanctuary More...

069. Collective disappearance More...

070. Protest emigration (hijrat) More...

ECONOMIC NONCOOPERATION:
BOYCOTTS
Action by consumers
071. Consumers' boycott
072. Nonconsumption of boycotted goods
073. Policy of austerity
074. Rent withholding
075. Refusal to rent
076. National consumers' boycott More...

077. International consumers' boycott

Action by workers and producers
078. Workers' boycott More...

079. Producers' boycott More...

Action by middlemen
080. Suppliers' and handlers' boycott
Action by owners and management
081. Traders' boycott More...

082. Refusal to let or sell property

083. Lockout More...

084. Refusal of industrial assistance More...

085. Merchants' "general strike" More...

Action by holders of financial resources
086. Withdrawal of bank deposits
087. Refusal to pay fees, dues, and assessments
088. Refusal to pay debts or interest
089. Severance of funds and credit More...

090. Revenue refusal More...

 091. Refusal of a government's money
Action by governments
092. Domestic embargo More...

093. Blacklisting of traders

094. International sellers' embargo More...

095. International buyers' embargo More...

096. International trade embargo More...

ECONOMIC NONCOOPERATION:
STRIKES
Symbolic strikes
097. Protest strike More...
Also called token strike and demonstration
strike, lasts for a preannounced amount of
time, often one hour or a day. No specific
demands are made, but this action is
merely an expression of a viewpoint or
feelings on an issue. A protest strike is
sometimes used as a warning before other
forms of the strike are used.

098. Quickie walkout (lightning strike)

Agricultural strikes
099. Peasant strike
100. Farm workers' strike More...
Strikes by special groups
101. Refusal of impressed labor
102. Prisoners' strike
103. Craft strike
104. Professional strike More...
Ordinary industrial strikes
105. Establishment strike More...

106. Industry strike More...

107. Sympathy strike

Restricted strikes
108. Detailed strike More...

109. Bumper strike More...

110. Slowdown strike

111. Working-to-rule strike More...

112. Reporting "sick." (sick-in)

113. Strike by resignation
114. Limited strike More...

115. Selective strike More...

Multi-industry strikes
116. Generalised strike More...

117. General strike More...

Combination of strikes and economic closures
118. Hartal More...

119. Economic shutdown More...

POLITICAL NONCOOPERATION
Rejection of authority
 120. Withholding or withdrawal of allegiance More...

121. Refusal of public support More...

122. Literature and speeches advocating resistance

Citizens noncooperation with government
123. Boycott of legislative bodies
124. Boycott of elections
125. Boycott of government employment and positions
126. Boycott of government departments, agencies, and other bodies
127. Withdrawal from governmental educational institutions
128. Boycott of government-supported institutions
129. Refusal of assistance to enforcement agents
130. Removal of own signs and placemarks
131. Refusal to accept appointed officials
132. Refusal to dissolve existing institutions
Citizens alternatives to obedience
133. Reluctant and slow compliance
134. Nonobedience in absence of direct supervision
135. Popular nonobedience More...

136. Disguised disobedience More...

137. Refusal of an assemblage or meeting to disperse

138. Sitdown
139. Noncooperation with conscription and deportation
140. Hiding, escape, and false identities
141. Civil disobedience of "illegitimate" laws More...
Action by government personnel
142. Selective refusal of assistance by government aides
More...

143. Blocking of lines of command and information

144. Stalling and obstruction
145. General administrative noncooperation More...

146. Judicial noncooperation

147. Deliberate inefficiency and selective noncooperation by enforcement agents
148. Mutiny
Domestic governmental action
149. Quasi-legal evasions and delays More...

150. Noncooperation by constituent governmental units

More...
International governmental action
151. Changes in diplomatic and other representation
152. Delay and cancellation of diplomatic events
153. Withholding of diplomatic recognition
154. Severance of diplomatic relations
155. Withdrawal from international organizations
156. Refusal of membership in international bodies
157. Expulsion from international organisations

THE METHODS OF NONVIOLENT INTERVENTION

Psychological intervention
158. Self-exposure to the elements
159. The fast (fast of moral pressure, hunger strike, satyagrahic fast)
160. Reverse trial More...

161. Nonviolent harassment More...

Physical intervention
162. Sit-in
163. Stand-in
164. Ride-in More...

165. Wade-in
 166. Mill-in More...

167. Pray-in
168. Nonviolent raids More...

169. Nonviolent air raids

170. Nonviolent invasion More...

171. Nonviolent interjection More...

172. Nonviolent obstruction More...

173. Nonviolent occupation More...

Social intervention
174. Establishing new social patterns
175. Overloading of facilities
176. Stall-in More...

177. Speak-in More...

178. Guerrilla theatre

179. Alternative social institutions More...

180. Alternative communication system More...

Economic intervention
181. Reverse strike More...

182. Stay-in strike More...

183. Nonviolent land seizure More...

184. Defiance of blockades

185. Politically motivated counterfeiting
186. Preclusive purchasing More...

187. Seizure of assets

188. Dumping More...

189. Selective patronage More...

190. Alternative markets More...

191. Alternative transportation systems

192. Alternative economic institutions More...
Political intervention
193. Overloading of administrative systems
194. Disclosing identities of secret agents
195. Seeking imprisonment
196. Civil disobedience of "neutral" laws
197. Work-on without collaboration More...

198. Dual sovereignty and parallel government

ADDITIONAL METHODS (named subsequent to Sharps list)

199. Nonviolent confinement More...

Other... More...

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