How can this thing called "nonviolent action" work? Over the last 100 years, against seemingly insurmountable odds and always to the surprise of official analysts and media pundits, unarmed civilians have prevailed over the power and weapons of some of the world's worst human rights abusers and most brutal dictatorships. There's a long list, but highlights include the Shah of Iran, Poland's Jaruzelski, Marcos in the Philippines, Pinochet in Chile, P.W. Botha and apartheid rule in South Africa, not to mention a few Soviet-style regimes behind the Berlin wall.