SUPER-RESISTANCE - A NEW NAME FOR AN OLD REALITY - THE THREE METHODS OF RESISTANCE

Sep 21, 2026

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A monthly international conciliation publication introduces Harold C. Goddard and presents his 1916 essay “Super-Resistance.” It argues that the term “non-resistance” misleads because the concept it names is often treated as negative, passive, and cowardly. Goddard proposes a fresh vocabulary, redefining the true principle as “super-resistance” and distinguishing it from both forceful resistance and passive non-resistance. Using the analogy of handling a child’s outburst, the essay frames super-resistance as a higher, imaginative, and constructive mode of meeting conflict.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

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SUPER-RESISTANCE

A NEW NAME FOR AN OLD REALITY

THE THREE METHODS OF RESISTANCE

| .CONCILIATION
INTERNATIONAL
Published monthly by the
American Association for International Conclliation.
Entered as second class matter at New York,N.Y,
Postoffice,February 23,1909,under act of July 16,1894 | | --- | | SUPER-RESISTANCE
PATRIA
ORBIS
CONCORDIAM
BY
HAROLD C.GODDARD
PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH,SWARTHMORE COLLEGE,
SWARTHMORE,PENNSYLVANIA
MAY,1916
No.102 | | American Association for International Conciliation
Sub-Station 84(407 West 117th Street)
New York City | It is the aim of the Association for International Con-ciliation to awaken interest and to seek co-operationin the movement to promote international good will.This movement depends for its ultimate success uponincreased international understanding,appreciation,and sympathy.To this end,documents are printedand widely circulated,giving information as to theprogress of the movement and as to matters connectedtherewith,in order that individual citizens,the news-paper press,and organizations of various kinds mayhave accurate information on these subjects readilyavailable. It is the aim of the Association to avoid,as far aspossible,contentious questions,and in particularquestions relating to the domestic policy of any givennation.Attention is to be fixed rather upon thoseunderlying principles of international law,internationalconduct,and international organization,which mustbe agreed upon and enforced by all nations if peacefulcivilization is to continue and to be advanced. A listof publications will be found on pages 21 and 22. Harold Goddard was born in Worcester,Massachusetts,in1878.He graduated from Amherst College in 1900 and taughtmathematics there for the next two years.He then studiedEnglish at Columbia University,receiving the degree of Doctorof Philosophy in 1908.He taught English at NorthwesternUniversity_and at Swarthmore College,where,since 1909,hehas been Professor of English.He is the author of"Studiesin New England Transcendentalism,"and has contributed fromtime to time to the magazines. # SUPER-RESISTANCE I # A NEW NAME FOR AN OLD REALITY Non-resistance is at present the most misleading wordin the English language.Since the outbreak of the war,it has deceived thousands.During the discussion ofpreparedness in this country,it will deceive thousandsmore.Great is the power of words.In the beginningis the word.And in the end,too,generally,is the word.For the simple reason that ninety-nine men out of ahundred take every word at its face value. The origin of the term non-resistance is the EnglishBible,and the English Bible is usually infallible in thingspoetic.But this is the exception.For the word non-resistance is negative,while the thing itself is the mostpositive thing in the world.Fooled by its appearance,friends and foes of the idea it is supposed to embodyvie with each other in diluting a mighty reality into anexcellent substitute for nothing They persist,for in-stance,in setting non-resistance over against force—asif it were not itself the most powerful of forces!Theydwell on its passivity—as if it were not activity incar-nate!They insist on its submissiveness(its enemiesbranding it as servility,its friends extolling it as a kindof high patience that stands meekly aside while materialforces sweep to their destruction)--as if its one greatend were not the reduction of other forces,the bendingof other wills,to its own!And so they continue heap- ing up its negative qualities until we come to conceiveit as a cowed,spiritless,anaemic creature'little fitted toinhabit this proud,pulsing,red-blooded world.Indeedwe are lucky if we do not come to identify it with itsexact opposite:cowardice. What is needed is a fresh nomenclature.For mypresent purpose,then,I intend to surrender the unhappyterm non-resistance to one set of its misinterpreters,let-ting it stand for the false,abject,cowardly type of non-resistance;while the true non-resistance I will call,whati

FAQs

Why does the author claim “non-resistance” is a misleading term?

He argues that the word is interpreted negatively and leads people to equate the idea with passivity and cowardice rather than with a positive, powerful reality.

What vocabulary change does the author propose?

He intends to reserve “non-resistance” for the false, abject form, while naming the true principle “super-resistance.”

How does the author distinguish the three methods of resistance using the child analogy?

He contrasts (1) direct resistance through force or threats, (2) passive non-resistance by ignoring the outburst, and (3) super-resistance by joining with the child’s energy imaginatively to redirect it.

Sep 21, 2026

Upload by Maeve