Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People How Civil Resistance Can Save Democracy with Erica Chenoweth
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Nov 5, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, political scientist Erica Chenoweth, a Harvard Kennedy School professor and co-director of the Nonviolent Action Lab, highlights the remarkable power of nonviolent resistance in safeguarding democracy. She reveals how movements gain effectiveness through organized, peaceful protests and explore the crucial threshold of 3.5% participation needed for success. Chenoweth also discusses historical examples like the U.S. civil rights movement and reflects on current global trends, providing hope in the face of democratic backsliding.
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Scale And Discipline Of No Kings Protests
- October 18th saw geographically diffused, massive, and overwhelmingly nonviolent protests across the U.S.
- Nonviolent discipline and preparation made the coordinated turnout remarkable and strategically powerful.
Why Nonviolence Preserves Movement Power
- Violence within a movement often fractures it and repels potential supporters and elites.
- State repression against disciplined nonviolent protesters tends to backfire and elicit sympathy.
Study Comparing 323 Movements
- Chenoweth and Maria Stephan analyzed 323 mass movements from 1900–2006 comparing nonviolent campaigns and armed insurgencies.
- They found nonviolent campaigns tended to attract more participants and were more likely to succeed.
