Non-violent opposition to a ruling authority or government. It frequently involves a refusal to cooperate with the authorities or a defiant breach of laws and regulations and has been a major weapon of many nationalist, resistance, and social movements in modern times. One of the most successful campaigns was that waged by Mahatma Gandhi against British rule in India, when widespread civil disturbances and protests persuaded the British to make major concessions. Gandhi’s example was an inspiration for the Civil Rights movement in the USA from the 1950s, where passive resistance, large-scale demonstrations, and the deliberate breaking of segregation laws brought considerable improvements for the black population.