Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict by Chenoweth Erica & Maria J. Stephan

Author:Chenoweth, Erica & Maria J. Stephan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science/General
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Published: 2011-08-21T16:00:00+00:00

1978 Elections

In response to domestic and international pressure by the Carter administration, Marcos agreed to moderate reforms in the late 1970s, announcing elections for an Interim Batasang Pambansa (IBP, Interim National Legislature) scheduled for 1978. The opposition was divided about whether to participate in the IBP elections. Aware that violence and fraud would inevitably accompany the elections, certain opposition elements nevertheless used the democratic facade to mobilize and organize. Benigno Aquino campaigned for the elections from his prison cell under the newly formed LABAN Party (Lakas ng Bayan, Strength of the Nation), with Senator Tanada as the LABAN chairman. LABAN was supported by other prominent oppositionists and political parties, including the Jesuit-backed Philippine Social Democratic Party. Not all opposition groups participated in the elections. The CPP, joined by the Liberals, led a boycott of the election.

Not surprisingly, the Marcos-led Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL, New Society Movement) declared victory in an election marked by vote stealing and intimidation, which led to organized protest activity. On election night, upset voters banged on pots and pans, honked horns, and exploded firecrackers for three hours in response to reports of ballot theft (Boudreau 2004, 143; Lande 1978). Demonstrations continued over the next several days, leading to a regime crackdown: 561 demonstrators were arrested on April 9 and a seminary office was raided (Boudreau 2004, 143). Despite martial law restrictions, broader student protests, including short “lightning” rallies and longer marches and demonstrations, occurred regularly after that. The moderates that Marcos had hoped to co-opt with the elections were “radicalized by the fraud” and began to think beyond political parties to the organization of a broad-based movement (143).

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