The Internet is mightier than the gun

It could be said that having an army with guns allowed for international war. The countries with guns casually overthrew governments of those without to create worldwide empires. The imperialism of the 19th century demonstrated the strength of the modern army. Any fight against the government would fail. That is, until there came something that modern weapons couldn't fight against. The Internet provided a way for the world to band together, to share and spread ideals and ideas. Ideals like Voice of the Faithful and their abhorrence with the inaction of the Catholic Church after Father Geoghan raped young boys flew across the Internet. Ideas of public protest, such as flash mobs to condemn the Lukashenko government for corruption, found homes in the web. These are but few examples given by Clay Shirky in his book "Here Comes Everybody" about how the Internet works to accomplish common goals worldwide.

Governments in the old world relied on the idea that there was no group of people large enough to stand against them. Shirky explained that such a stance does not work today. The group behind Voice of the Faithful and their was so big and their complaints so public that Cardinal Law had to listen and communicate. No appeasement could be made so Law resigned. The connected Internet provided a way for the Chinese people to publicly show the destruction after the earthquake in 2008. When details were leaked that many of the children who died in schools may have lived if the public building contractors did embezzle funds, the parents were furious and launched a campaign against the government to which some leaders publicly begged the mothers to stop. Microsoft released details about a new video game system which required an internet connection in order to process the DRM on the games being played. The gamers took to the Internet in droves to attack the new requirements until Microsoft relented and took out the required internet connection. 

People have a way to make their voice heard. Shirky showed us how the power can be used to change for good. Thus the Internet provides the tools to make changes to governments and institutions that guns alone would never accomplish.