Transarmament (closely related to
civilian-based defense Civilian-based defense or social defence describes non-military action by a society or social group, particularly in a context of a sustained campaign against outside attack or dictatorial rule – or preparations for such a campaign in the event of ...
) is the partial or total replacement of
armed forces with the physical and social infrastructure to support
nonviolent
Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosoph ...
resistance.
Gene Sharp
Gene Sharp (January 21, 1928 – January 28, 2018) was an American political scientist. He was the founder of the Albert Einstein Institution, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the study of nonviolent action, and professor of pol ...
defined transarmament as "the process of changeover from a military-based defense policy to a
civilian-based defense Civilian-based defense or social defence describes non-military action by a society or social group, particularly in a context of a sustained campaign against outside attack or dictatorial rule – or preparations for such a campaign in the event of ...
policy."
Gene Sharp
Gene Sharp (January 21, 1928 – January 28, 2018) was an American political scientist. He was the founder of the Albert Einstein Institution, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the study of nonviolent action, and professor of pol ...
(1997). "Transarmament" (p. 534) in: Roger S. Powers, William B. Vogele, Christopher Kruegler, Ronald M. McCarthy (1997), ''Protest, power, and change: an encyclopedia of nonviolent action from ACT-UP to women's suffrage''. Taylor & Francis. Unlike
disarmament
Disarmament is the act of reducing, limiting, or abolishing weapons. Disarmament generally refers to a country's military or specific type of weaponry. Disarmament is often taken to mean total elimination of weapons of mass destruction, such as ...
, "transarmament always involves the replacement of one means to provide defense with another" instead of the "simple reduction or abandonment of military capacity."
Civilian defense
The term "transarmament" appears to have been introduced in 1937 in a pamphlet by
Kenneth Boulding
Kenneth Ewart Boulding (; January 18, 1910 – March 18, 1993) was an English-born American economist, educator, peace activist, and interdisciplinary philosopher.David LatzkoKenneth E. Boulding Commentsat personal.psu.edu. Accessed 24 April 200 ...
.
[ It appears not to have been used again until the 1960s.][Adam Roberts (ed.) (1968), ''Civilian resistance as a national defense: non-violent action against aggression''. Stackpole Books. (320 pages)]
According to Adam Roberts,
:At least four possible stages f transarmament/nowiki> can be envisaged:
:1. Research and investigation into civilian defence, in order to judge its workability, relate it to a specific country's defence problems, and develop strategic and tactical concepts so that the proposal can be presented in concrete and practical terms.
:2. General public education in non-violent action and civilian defence; concentrated training of key groups and individuals; organizational preparations.
:3. Application of civilian defence in specific areas without complete abandonment of military defence policy.
:4. Public commitment to use civilian defence in resisting all threats formerly dealt with by military methods. Completion of process of transarment. (p. 338[Adam Roberts (1969) "Transarmament to Civilian Defence" (pp. 336-348) in Adam Roberts (ed.), "Civilian Resistance as a National Defence," Baltimore, MD: Penguin/Pelican, 1969. (367 pages)])
Offensive to defensive
"Transarmament" has later been used—for example, by Johan Galtung—as a technical term to describe a shift in military strategy. Galtung distinguishes between offensive and defense armaments and suggests transitioning to a defensive system of national defense. His use of the term does not imply nonviolence.[Johan Galtung,]
From Disarmament to Transarmament: Evolving Trends in the Study of Disarmament and Security
, June 1984
published 1986
in the UNESCO yearbook on peace and conflict studies.
See also
*'' Making Europe Unconquerable: The Potential of Civilian-Based Deterrence and Defence''
:(1985 book by Gene Sharp
Gene Sharp (January 21, 1928 – January 28, 2018) was an American political scientist. He was the founder of the Albert Einstein Institution, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the study of nonviolent action, and professor of pol ...
)
References
{{reflist, 2
External links
* http://www.fragmentsweb.org/stuff/nvwar.html
Civilian-Based Defense: A Post-Military Weapons System
by Gene Sharp
by Gene Sharp
Civil defense
Nonviolence