In Hans Fallada’s almost pedestrian and normal look at Nazism and ordinary people, Alone in Berlin, he relates the true story of a working class couple who take to distributing anonymous post cards carefully inscribed with anti Nazi sentiments around the city. An act that went on for three years every week and finally cost them their lives.
I recall years ago listening to a woman talking about living under Mao and how she wore a yellow silk blouse under the communist worker’s uniform and when asked why when no one could know it was there replied, “I knew it was there.”
Of course there are those who fight a regime in their minds and there are many who would say these attempts at revolting mean nothing because they are wholly personal. And it cannot be denied when you oppose something politely or quietly, the opposition isn’t strong enough to change anything in the wider society. But small acts of bravery and opposition are nonetheless important when the tyranny is as absolute as Mao’s and Hitler’s because sometimes that is the only option left. It is more effective to do something over a period of time that is small than to get yourself killed on day one of your revolt.