From Dictatorship To Democracy: A Conceptual Fr... Instant

Sharp argues that all power is conditional on the cooperation of the governed. A dictatorship only stands as long as its Pillars of Support —institutions like the military, media, and civil service—remain loyal. Resistance aims to erode this support until the regime collapses. Strategic Categories of Action

: The most powerful tool, involving the withdrawal of social, economic, and political support through selective strikes, revenue refusal, and withdrawal of bank deposits .

: Systematically withdraw cooperation until the regime’s administrative and coercive tools no longer function.

: Acknowledge that external aid or negotiations rarely work, as tyrants use them to stall or maintain power .

: Direct actions that disrupt the regime's functioning, such as sit-ins and the creation of alternative social institutions. Key Steps for Liberation

This guide outlines the core strategies from Gene Sharp’s From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation , a seminal manual for nonviolent resistance used in movements like the Arab Spring . Core Philosophy: The Pillars of Support