1) For those wondering what theories of revolution say on protestors vs. force: when protestors can be isolated as a small group out for themselves, use of force is accepted and makes gov appear strong. When protestors are seen as representing a wide swathe of society, and as ..
having reasonable goals, use of force provokes more protest and weakens gov, making it less legitimate. Trump clearly tried to do the first, labeling the protestors as ANTIFA & terrorists. But for most, that failed; more and more people saw protestors as ...
diverse and widely representative of America, seeking justice with good reason. Police violence against white, female, and elderly protestors drove those points home. Government has basically lost this round. The 'protective wall' around the White House, built to intimidate...
has been taken over by protestors using it as a billboard to post their messages. Small towns are joining big cities in having protests, while communities are joining people of color. Protestors have essentially won the streets, with non-violent and inclusive action.
A truly authoritarian regime, if it retained elite support, could crush the protests as in Tiananmen Square (which, by the way, Trump strongly approved!). But a democratic regime cannot do so; especially when the military has signaled they will not support such action.
