The Encyclopedia
of World Problems
& Human Potential

Civil disobedience

Visualization of narrower problems

Name(s):

Resistance to government

Mass protests

Civil resistance

Nature

Civil disobedience is any act of public defiance of a law, practice or policy of authorities, if that act is premeditated, known by the actor to be illegal, and done for public reasons. Civil disobedience may be direct as was the case of Henry David Thoreau's refusal to pay his poll tax. It may be indirect, such as, burning draft cards in protest against the war in Vietnam.

Claim

Nothing at all will be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome. (Samuel Johnson).

Broader

Narrower

Non-violent demonstrations

Local resistance to undesired development

Desobediencia ciudadana

Aggravates

Inadequate social reform ^{[in 17 loops]}

Aggravated by

Denial of right to liberty

Illegitimate political regimes

Undemocratic political organization

Strategy(ies)

Pacifying citizens

Undertaking civilian protest

Using civil disobedience

Organizing mass protests

Resisting government

Undermining resistance to government

Punishing civil disobedience

Value(s)

Reference(s)

Woodcock, George: Civil Disobedience

Boyle, Francis A: Defending Civil Resistance under International Law

Russell, D E: Rebellion, Revolution, and Armed Force: a comparative study of fifteen countries with special emphasis on Cuba and South Africa

Type

(C) Cross-sectoral problems

About the Encyclopedia

The Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential is a unique, experimental research work of the Union of International Associations. It is currently published as a searchable online platform with profiles of world problems, action strategies, and human values that are interlinked in novel and innovative ways. These connections are based on a range of relationships such as broader and narrower scope, aggravation, relatedness and more. By concentrating on these links and relationships, the Encyclopedia is uniquely positioned to bring focus to the complex and expansive sphere of global issues and their interconnected nature.

The initial content for the Encyclopedia was seeded from UIA’s Yearbook of International Organizations. UIA’s decades of collected data on the enormous variety of association life provided a broad initial perspective on the myriad problems of humanity. Recognizing that international associations are generally confronting world problems and developing action strategies based on particular values, the initial content was based on the descriptions, aims, titles and profiles of international associations.

About UIA

The Union of International Associations (UIA) is a research institute and documentation centre, based in Brussels. It was established in 1907, by Henri la Fontaine (Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 1913), and Paul Otlet, a founding father of what is now called information science.

Non-profit, apolitical, independent, and non-governmental in nature, the UIA has been a pioneer in the research, monitoring and provision of information on international organizations, international associations and their global challenges since 1907.

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Civil disobedience

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About UIA