Key insights from
Blueprint for Revolution: How to Use Rice Pudding, Lego Men, and Other Nonviolent Techniques to Galvanize Communities, Overthrow Dictators, or Simply Change the World
What you'll learn
In the beginning, everybody is a nobody. This is what Srdja Popović tells activists from other countries who feel that change is not possible in their home country, that dictators can’t be overthrown, and corporations with predatory practices can’t be stopped. Popović is one of the founding members of the Serbian resistance group Otpor! that successfully ousted a longtime tyrant in 2000, and the founder of the NGO CANVAS (Centre for Applied NonViolent Action and Strategies). His experience in the resistance efforts has become a lifelong passion, and his resumé as trainer for nonviolent resistance has helped ragtag groups from all over the world become effective organizers for positive regime change. From Buddhist monks in Burma to intellectuals in the Maldives to students in Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt, his methods have a proven track record that continues to make him a sought-after consultant. In a word, Popović is on a mission to make the principles of successful nonviolent movements user-friendly.
Key insights
- 1 Otpor! was the Serbian resistance movement that provided the blueprint for revolutions all over the world.
- 2 Get rid of the nagging skepticism that “It happened there, but it can’t happen here.”
- 3 Laughtivism is a newer, more effective form of activism that channels the power of humor.
- 4 When people living under oppression describe the kind of life they want, the changes they envision are simple and tangible.
- 5 The Syrian revolution flopped because they were all passion and no planning.
- 6 Use the momentum of barbaric repression to your own advantage.
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