Rightful resistance
Rightful resistance is a form of partially institutionalized popular contention against the state whereby aggrieved citizens seek to legitimize their causes by making use of state's own laws, policies or rhetoric in framing their protests. Rightful resistance is contrasted with other forms of popular protest where citizens challenge the legitimacy of rulers; the rightful resister accepts the legitimacy of laws, policies and core values of the state, but protests when they perceive that authorities have failed to deliver on their own promises, or have defied the laws or widely accepted values. Rightful resisters are characterized by the peaceful nature of their protests, which often make use of institutionalized channels of dissent. Unlike more conventional resisters who may employ covert or quiet means of sabotage against the state, rightful resisters actively seek the attention of the elites, and their protests are public and open.[1]
The concept was first explained by the political scientist Kevin O'Brien in the 1996 article Rightful Resistance, which focused on its applications in rural
Examples of rightful resistance
China
Weiquan lawyers |
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The concept of rightful resistance was initially used to describe protest actions adopted in
Rightful resistance in China can also manifests in a variety of other ways, include use of the petitioning system, village elections, and legal system to seek redress against grievances. Weiquan (rights defending) lawyers, who regularly defy authorities by defending individuals whose human or civil rights have been violated by the party-state, have been described as engaging in a form of rightful resistance.[3] Weiquan lawyers typically frame their arguments by making appeals to China's constitution, arguing that abuses of human rights—sanctioned as they may be by the state—are in contravention of the country's laws.[4]
References
- ^ S2CID 201748742.
- ISBN 978-0-521-86131-1.
- )
- SSRN 1972011.