Dilemma Actions

A Powerful Tactic for Confronting Unjust Power

What Are Dilemma Actions?

Dilemma actions are strategic nonviolent tactics designed to put authoritarian regimes, unjust power holders, or oppressive systems in a lose-lose situation. They force adversaries into making a choice where every possible response backfires against them, either by exposing their injustice, eroding their legitimacy, mobilizing public opposition, or empowering the resistance movement.

Dilemma actions are particularly well-suited for confronting authoritarianism, as they exploit the rigidity and insecurity of oppressive regimes. They leverage humor, creativity, and moral clarity to put oppressors in a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t scenario.

How Do Dilemma Actions Work?

For a dilemma action to be effective, it should:

1. Expose injustice: The action should highlight the absurdity or brutality of the oppressive system.

2. Create a difficult choice for the oppressor:

   • If they repress the action, they look unreasonable, cruel, or ridiculous.

   • If they ignore or allow it, they lose control, embolden dissent, or appear weak.

3. Maximize public visibility: The action should be designed for media coverage, potential for going viral, and/or mass participation to amplify its impact.

4. Be repeatable and escalate-able: The action should build momentum and create further opportunities for resistance.

Examples of Dilemma Actions in the U.S. and Around the World

Dilemma actions have been used effectively across history, from civil rights movements to opposition to dictatorships. Below are some key examples:

1. The Children's March (U.S., 1963)

• Context: During the civil rights movement, segregationists in Birmingham, Alabama, were violently cracking down on protests.

• Dilemma: When the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) ran out of adult volunteers for civil disobedience, they organized thousands of children to march.

• Lose-Lose for the Authorities:

  • If police let them march, segregationists looked weak.

  • If police brutalized children, they looked monstrous—and that’s exactly what happened.

  • The world saw fire hoses and attack dogs used against children, creating mass outrage and federal intervention that helped break segregation in Birmingham.

2. Otpor’s Money Drop (Serbia, 1990s)

• Context: During resistance to Serbian dictator Slobodan Milošević, the youth movement Otpor! needed a way to mock and undermine the regime.

• Dilemma: They glued cans with Milošević’s face onto sidewalks and put money inside to support his retirement or, if you couldn’t afford to put money in because of his policies, you could hit the barrel with a bat. When police saw people beating the can, they had to either:

  • Arrest people for clubbing a can, which made them look ridiculous.

  • Let it continue, making the regime look weak.

• Outcome: The stunt made police look absurd, boosted morale among protesters, and built momentum for Milošević’s eventual overthrow in 2000.

3. The Sunflower Movement (Taiwan, 2014)

• Context: The Taiwanese government tried to pass a trade agreement with China that many saw as a step toward Beijing’s control over Taiwan.

• Dilemma: Students occupied the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan’s Parliament), forcing the government to either:

  • Violently remove them, triggering a public backlash.

  • Negotiate, giving legitimacy to the movement.

• Outcome: The government backed down, and the trade agreement was scrapped, marking a major victory for Taiwan’s democracy movement.

4. Pussy Riot’s Church Performance (Russia, 2012)

• Context: The feminist punk band Pussy Riot staged a performance in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior to protest Vladimir Putin’s alliance with the Russian Orthodox Church.

• Dilemma: The government had to either:

  • Ignore the protest, allowing dissent to spread.

  • Crack down harshly, exposing its authoritarianism.

• Outcome: The band members were arrested and sentenced to years in prison, turning them into global icons and putting Putin’s repression on full display.

5. Gandhi’s Salt March (India, 1930)

• Context: British colonial rule in India imposed a monopoly on salt, making it illegal for Indians to produce their own.

• Dilemma: Gandhi led a 240-mile march to the sea to illegally produce salt, forcing the British to either:

  • Arrest thousands of peaceful protesters, looking like oppressive colonialists.

  • Allow it, undermining their own rule.

• Outcome: The brutal crackdown triggered global condemnation, boosted the Indian independence movement, and exposed the injustice of British rule.

6. Standing Man Protest (Turkey, 2013)

• Context: In response to police violence against Gezi Park protesters in Turkey, an activist named Erdem Gündüz stood silently in Taksim Square.

• Dilemma: The government had to either:

  • Arrest someone for standing still, which would look absurd.

  • Let it continue, encouraging others to join.

• Outcome: The performance went viral, thousands of others joined in silent resistance, and it became a symbol of defiance against Turkey’s authoritarianism.

Why Dilemma Actions Are So Effective

Dilemma actions succeed because they:

• Expose the unjust nature of power—they show the world exactly how repressive regimes function.

• Force opponents to choose between looking weak or looking cruel—either way, they lose.

• Engage mass participation—they allow ordinary people to join without requiring high-risk confrontation.

• Generate powerful media moments—they create viral, highly shareable images and stories.

• Boost morale for the movement—humor, satire, and creativity strengthen solidarity and hope among activists.

How to Use Dilemma Actions in the Present Moment

Dilemma actions are particularly powerful in resisting creeping authoritarianism, exposing corruption, and mobilizing public support.
If you're organizing resistance, consider:

• Where can you create a lose-lose situation for unjust power?

• How can you use humor, creativity, or moral contrast to expose injustice?

• What actions can spread virally and engage a broad audience?

• What symbols or cultural moments can you hijack to force your opponent’s hand?

Final Thought: Nonviolence as a Strategic Weapon

Dilemma actions are not just symbolic protests—they are strategic acts of power that put authoritarianism on trial before the public. These actions are particularly good as fodder for performance artists, comedians, and practitioners of time-based art.

When movements master dilemma actions, they shift the battleground—forcing their opponents into mistakes, exposing their illegitimacy, and drawing more people into the movement.

In the fight against authoritarianism, oppression, and injustice, dilemma actions are one of the sharpest tools we have. The question is: How will we use them?