PERSPECTIVE Democratic Expeditions Nonviolence as a Moral Gift Edmund Tweedy Flanigan Abstract Nonviolent resistance remains one of the most power­ful tools available to activists working under oppressive regimes. This reflection paper addresses the moral di­lemma activists face when choosing between nonvio­lence and violent resistance. By reframing the moral value of principled nonviolence as relationship-orient­ed, this memo aims to guide activists and policymak­ers in understanding and publicly articulating nonvio­lence as a moral ideal. Introduction The theory and practice of nonviolent resistance is among the most important legacies of 20th-century politics, as reflected in the widespread veneration of its key exponents, Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Modern discussions increasingly treat nonvio­lence as a strategic choice, focusing on its potential for achieving political goals rather than on its moral value. Yet the moral value of principled nonviolence is a key part of the theory of nonviolence and is central to its public appeal. At the same time, public discussions of principled nonviolence often present nonviolence as overly demanding or overly idealised. This memo pre­sents a view of principled nonviolence that goes beyond strategy and avoids casting it as overly demanding or overly idealised. It suggests that nonviolence should be considered a form of moral gift that upholds the poten­tial for transforming oppressive relationships. Problem: Shortcomings of Common Discussions of Nonviolence Activists in oppressive regimes often face a difficult choice between adhering to nonviolent principles and resorting to violent resistance. Even for activists who may use both violence and nonviolence, this dilemma may still arise on individual occasions of resistance. A clear understanding of the moral value of nonviolence is essential to making these decisions. However, com­mon discussions of the moral dimension of nonvio­lence suffer from important shortcomings. Current perspectives on the moral value of nonviolence include: → Strategic Effectiveness: Prominent recent research argues that nonviolent revolutionary movements have a higher success rate in achieving political Nonviolence as a Moral Gift 1