nonresistance
Not fighting back
Nonresistance is the principle or practice of not resisting authority or aggression, even when faced with violence or injustice.
The term appears most often in religious and philosophical contexts, particularly among groups like Quakers and Mennonites who reject all forms of violence: Their faith teaches nonresistance to evil.
It differs from passive resistance, which actively opposes through nonviolent means; nonresistance abstains from opposition entirely.
Bending under pressure
- surrenderCease resistance, yield
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- acquiescenceUnresisting acceptance
- deferenceYielding to another's judgment
capitulation · submissiveness · docility · obedience · meekness · resignation · passivity · subordination
Consent to receive
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- equanimityUnshakable mental steadiness
- surrenderCease resistance, yield
- letting goReleasing one's grasp
nonattachment · serenity · inner peace · forbearance · long-suffering · meekness · humility · grace
Principled rejection of force
- satyagrahaNonviolent resistance philosophy
- ahimsaHindu principle of harmlessness
- conscientious objectorOne refusing military service morally
- civil disobediencePeaceful refusal to obey
Quaker · Gandhi · MLK · antimilitarism · Tolstoyan · Mennonite · Jain · peaceful protest
yielding
Bending under pressure
- surrenderCease resistance, yield
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- acquiescenceUnresisting acceptance
deference · capitulation · submissiveness · docility · obedience · meekness · resignation · passivity · subordination · acceptance
acceptance
Consent to receive
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- equanimityUnshakable mental steadiness
- surrenderCease resistance, yield
letting go · nonattachment · serenity · inner peace · forbearance · long-suffering · meekness · humility · grace · quietism
nonviolence
Principled rejection of force
- satyagrahaNonviolent resistance philosophy
- ahimsaHindu principle of harmlessness
- conscientious objectorOne refusing military service morally
civil disobedience · Quaker · Gandhi · MLK · antimilitarism · Tolstoyan · Mennonite · Jain · peaceful protest
- inactioninaction, passivity, doing nothing, stillness, immobility
- nonviolencenonviolence, pacifism, harmlessness, nonviolent, peaceful
- passivitypassiveness, inaction, inactivity, submissiveness, acquiescence
- Anabaptist traditionsadult baptism, plain dress, foot washing, shunning, head covering
- AnabaptistsMennonites, Amish, Hutterites, Mennonite, Menno Simons
- Tolstoyismnonviolence, pacifism, simple living, Sermon on the Mount, vegetarianism
nonresistanceresistance
Capacity to withstand force
self-defense · armed resistance · fighting back · opposition · counterattack
nonresistanceviolence
Harmful physical force
armed resistance · force · coercion · militarism · warfare
nonresistanceresistance
Capacity to withstand force
rebellion · revolt · active resistance · opposition · defiance