Peaceful or Violent Demonstrations?

[Natural Eraser]

As some of you have probably heard there are a big demonstration in Greece at the moment, most of it is taking place in the capitol city; Athens. I don't fully understand what this conflict is about, something about the economy being in the shitter and the government doing nothing about it.. I don't really know... But my main question here is: Is it necessary to resort to violence to make change? It works in many cases and it's a lot faster then peaceful demonstrations. Just look at countries like Burma where the hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated against the brutal military junta and it always ended in massacre, the military even killed Buddhist monks, which are protected by a sacred Buddhist law. Governments like this can't be reasoned with, but is there another way? As Joe Strummer said: People can change everything", but how should we change it when your dealing with a dictatorship or military junta?

[Qwaint]

I'd think that violence happens when the peaceful demonstrations don't work.

[Cam-Dog]

Greece doesn't seem like the kind of country that would have its military kill a lot of people.
So I guess if the people are that desperate and its the only way to get their point across its not that bad of a system.
But I would like some more information on the situation. How bad is the violence?

[Jitterbug]

I will always side with the peacemakers.

[Choopy]

I do not condone anarchist behavior. I think the situation in Greece is pretty dire. I also believe it is a precursor of what we could be looking at here if things continue down the down same path.

However, I must point out this one instance where violence was necessary and effective. I don't imagine a peaceful demonstration would have had the same effect.... The American Revolution.

I just don't think you can sum it up in general terms.