When Do Protests Actually Work? — with Erica Chenoweth

In this pivotal episode of The Prof G Pod, host Scott Galloway sits down with Erica Chenoweth, a leading political scientist and professor at Harvard's Kennedy School, to dissect the effectiveness of nonviolent protests in contemporary democratic struggles. Drawing on her groundbreaking research, Chenoweth outlines four key factors that determine the success of civil resistance movements: large and diverse participation, the ability to create defections within the opponent’s pillars of support, strategic shifts between protest methods and non-cooperation, and sustained resilience under repression. The conversation centers on the 'No Kings' protests in the U.S., which have seen growing participation—reaching 9 million people—without violence or civil disobedience. Chenoweth assesses these movements as being on track, with strong momentum and discipline, though still building the critical defections needed for systemic change. She also examines global parallels, including the failed 2011 uprising in Bahrain and the complex resistance in Iran, where lack of organizational capacity and external interference have hampered progress. A compelling case study from South Korea’s successful thwarting of a coup through coordinated nonviolent action underscores the power of credible, large-scale commitment to disruption. Chenoweth emphasizes that while historical thresholds like the 3.5% participation rule are instructive, they are not guarantees—success depends on strategy, organization, and the ability to shift power dynamics through targeted pressure on key institutions, especially the business elite, as seen in the fall of apartheid in South Africa.