Noncooperation

Noncooperation refers to a range of political actions in which individuals or groups refuse to participate in the normal activities that sustain a government, organization, or policy system, as a means of protest or leverage. It is typically used as a nonviolent tactic intended to delegitimate authority, disrupt routines, and create pressure for change.

In political science, noncooperation is a form of civil resistance that can stand alongside other nonviolent tactics such as protests, boycotts, and civil disobedience. It is distinct from armed action, though it may be combined with broader political campaigns. The aim is usually policy reform, political rights, or independence, achieved by reducing cooperation with the target of opposition.

Historical usage of noncooperation includes mass movements that refuse participation in the structures of an oppressive regime or colonial authority. Notable examples feature early 20th-century campaigns for Indian independence that included boycotts and withdrawal from imperial institutions, as well as later organized boycotts and sanctions associated with other social and political struggles. Noncooperation has also been employed within broader civil resistance campaigns to complement other tactics like strikes, resignations, or refusal to engage with official processes.

Common methods encompass boycotts of goods or services, refusal to participate in elections or government programs, strikes, and acts of civil disobedience, such as withdrawing support from institutions or leadership figures. The effectiveness of noncooperation depends on broad participation, clear goals, and the willingness of authorities to negotiate; it can, however, provoke repression or backlash and may not always achieve its objectives.