Throughout history, ordinary people have challenged unjust systems and demanded change. From strikes that brought colonial rule to its knees to peaceful marches that transformed civil rights, resistance and protest remain among the most powerful tools for social transformation. Understanding how these movements emerge, function, and reshape societies is essential for anyone seeking to comprehend political change and the dynamics of power.
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Gandhi and the philosophy of satyagraha
In the early 20th century, Mohandas K. Gandhi introduced satyagraha, a revolutionary approach to resistance rooted in truth and non-violence. The term combines two Sanskrit words: satya, meaning truth, and agraha, meaning persistence or firm holding. This philosophy went far beyond mere passive resistance, offering instead an active, principled method of confronting injustice without resorting to violence.
Gandhi first conceived satyagraha in South Africa in 1906 when responding to discriminatory laws against Asians. Rather than accepting these unjust policies or responding with violence, he organized campaigns of non-violent resistance. The philosophy rested on several core principles: unwavering commitment to truth, absolute non-violence (ahimsa), willingness to accept self-suffering, and faith in the inherent goodness of all human beings.
What made satyagraha transformative was its approach to conflict. Gandhi envisioned it as a philosophy of social struggle and democratic organization based on social love, capable of restructuring society by challenging traditional authority. Through civil disobedience, non-cooperation, and constructive programs that built alternative institutions, satyagrahis sought not merely to defeat opponents but to convert them through moral force.
The anti-colonial struggles in India demonstrated satyagraha’s power. From the Champaran movement of 1917 to the Salt March of 1930 and the Quit India Movement of 1942, Gandhi’s philosophy mobilized millions without weapons, ultimately contributing to Indian independence in 1947. Beyond India, satyagraha influenced global movements, from Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights campaigns to Nelson Mandela’s anti-apartheid struggle.
Forms and functions of protest
Protest encompasses far more than street demonstrations. It takes a multitude of forms both online and offline, from strikes and marches to sit-ins and acts of civil disobedience, each serving as a symbolic act of complaint or objection against perceived injustices.
The repertoire of protest has evolved dramatically. Traditional forms include marches, rallies, picket lines, and boycotts. Modern movements have added teach-ins, social media campaigns, performance art, and digital activism. Protests range from institutional activities like press conferences and lawsuits to confrontational tactics involving civil disobedience. Some movements employ non-violent resistance, while others may escalate into more contentious forms depending on circumstances and state responses.
Why people protest
At its core, protest stems from a desire for change. When people perceive fundamental injustices or experience systematic oppression, they organize to make their grievances known. Protest serves multiple democratic functions: it provides opportunities for participation and expression for individuals and groups otherwise excluded from power, it challenges mainstream institutions, and it can reshape public discourse on critical issues.
However, protest effectiveness depends on various factors. Research shows that when rising expectations for change are suppressed, frustration can intensify, potentially leading to instability. The success of protest movements often hinges on their ability to maintain discipline, demonstrate broad support, and articulate clear demands while sustaining momentum over time.
The link between protest, resistance, and societal crisis
Protest and resistance don’t emerge in a vacuum-they often signal deeper societal fractures. Research suggests that civil unrest follows phase transitions, beginning with gradual shifts in societal attitudes marked by accumulation of social, economic, and political stress, followed by triggering events that spark mobilization and widespread demonstrations.
Multiple factors can precipitate crises that fuel resistance movements. Natural disasters that reveal governmental incompetence, economic shifts that increase inequality, or class conflicts that expose systemic injustices all create conditions ripe for collective action. A critical element is public alienation from decision-making processes-when citizens feel excluded from shaping policies that affect their lives, the likelihood of protest increases substantially.
Economic drivers of unrest
Economic factors play a prominent role in protest emergence and consequences. Rising food and fuel prices, growing inequality, and economic hardship have historically been associated with increased social unrest. When governments fail to address these economic grievances or when their policies exacerbate inequalities, protest movements gain momentum and legitimacy.
The relationship between crisis and protest is complex. Sometimes protests precipitate crises by disrupting normal social functioning and forcing authorities to respond. Other times, external crises create conditions that make protest both more likely and more urgent. The COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, both suppressed some protest activities while intensifying grievances that later erupted into major movements worldwide.
Opposition and conflict in society
Opposition in society manifests from shared feelings of exploitation and oppression. When groups perceive systematic injustice-whether based on economic class, religion, ethnicity, or ideology-they develop collective identities that can mobilize political action. Conflict arises from deep societal cleavages, with politics taking place along ethnic lines or class divisions depending on which identities become politically salient.
Sources of political instability
The likelihood of political instability increases with the number and intensity of societal divisions. Societies fractured along multiple axes-class, religion, ethnicity, region, and ideology-face greater challenges to stability and governance. Research shows that inequality between different identity groups contributes significantly to violent conflicts within societies, as economic and political disparities reinforce existing divisions.
Class conflict, historically central to political movements, emerges from fundamental inequalities in access to resources and power. Workers organize against capital, rural populations against urban elites, and marginalized groups against dominant classes. The intensity of these conflicts depends on factors like social mobility, the effectiveness of institutions in addressing grievances, and the ability of different groups to organize collectively.
Ethnic and religious conflicts operate through different dynamics. These divisions often prove more intractable than class-based conflicts because they involve deeply held identities and cultural values. When ethnic or religious identities become politicized, conflicts can escalate rapidly, particularly when combined with economic grievances or political exclusion.
Managing societal conflict
How societies manage opposition and conflict determines whether these tensions lead to positive change or destructive violence. Democratic institutions that provide channels for peaceful expression of grievances can reduce the likelihood of violent conflict. Systems that allow meaningful participation in decision-making, protect minority rights, and ensure fair distribution of resources tend to experience less destabilizing unrest.
Conversely, repressive responses to protest often backfire. When authorities meet peaceful demonstrations with violence, they frequently provoke larger and more determined movements. The militarization of police responses, use of surveillance technologies to intimidate protesters, and criminalization of dissent can intensify conflicts rather than resolve them.
What do you think? How can societies better address the root causes of protest and resistance rather than simply suppressing their symptoms? What role should citizens play in holding governments accountable when peaceful protest is met with repression?
References
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/satyagraha-philosophy
- https://polsci.institute/gandhi-contemporary-world/understanding-gandhi-satyagraha-philosophy/
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sociology/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2025.1520969/full
- https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/freedom-of-expression/protest/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protest
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s44260-024-00001-3
- https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2021/08/economics-of-social-unrest-imf-barrett-chen.htm
- https://academic.oup.com/jeea/article/22/1/73/7174383
- https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2021.0725
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