Nonviolent resistance is more effective than violence for creating lasting political change
Source: Adam Serwer. "The Assassin’s Delusion - The Atlantic." May 12, 2026. www.theatlantic.com
The Gist
The author argues that trying to solve political problems through violence is both stupid and counterproductive. Instead, peaceful resistance movements are more likely to succeed and create lasting change because they can involve more people and build the kind of society we actually want to live in.
Conclusion
Nonviolent resistance is superior to violence for achieving political goals and creating sustainable democratic change
Premises
- Assassination attempts against political figures are delusional and counterproductive, as they only benefit the targets politically
- Nonviolent campaigns are statistically more successful than violent ones and more likely to establish stable democratic regimes
- Nonviolent resistance can draw participants from all sectors of society, while violence requires rare traits that limit participation
- The Trump administration's greatest failures have been connected to its obsession with violence, while opponents' victories resulted from nonviolence
- Violence serves authoritarian agendas by providing pretexts for crackdowns and power seizures
- Americans face a persistent double standard where state and right-wing violence is tolerated more than left-wing violence
- Nonviolence builds the social bonds and skills necessary for the kind of multiracial democracy opponents want to create
Assumptions
- Political change through democratic means is preferable to change through violence
- Historical patterns of nonviolent success will continue to apply in current contexts
- The American political system can be reformed rather than requiring revolutionary overthrow
- Broad coalitions are necessary for sustainable political change
- Americans must find ways to coexist rather than eliminate political opponents