Erica Chenoweth, a political scientist who studies political violence and its alternatives, provides a comprehensive examination of civil resistance. Her research, conducted with Maria Stephan, demonstrated that nonviolent campaigns have been twice as successful as violent ones in achieving major political goals. This book synthesizes historical cases and contemporary movements to understand why some campaigns succeed while others fail. Chenoweth examines factors including movement size, diversity, discipline, and strategic choices. She analyzes famous cases from Gandhi's independence movement to the Arab Spring, as well as lesser-known campaigns. The book addresses common objections to nonviolent resistance, including whether it can work against brutal regimes. Chenoweth's approach is empirical rather than moralistic; she cares about effectiveness and uses data to determine what works. Her research has influenced activists and policymakers worldwide and contributed to a strategic turn in protest movements. For anyone interested in how political change happens, this book offers both hopeful evidence and sober analysis of the conditions that make success possible.