Architect's blueprint for a revolution uses humour against tyranny

In October 2000, the Serbian autocrat Slobodon Milosovic's fall from power was made possible because people, in their tens of thousands, took to the streets to demand it. And they were there in large part because of dedicated groups, behind the scene, organizing and spearheading popular resistance.

• Timeline: Slobodan Milosevic - CBC News Indepth

A key group at the time was known as OTPOR. And a key strategist a the time, was an unlikely young man.... a twenty-something, who was into music and movies but ended up as a key architect in the overthrow of Milosovic.

A decade and a half later, Srdja Popovic is still applying the lessons he learned in those heady days. He runs a kind of "people power" school called the Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies. He, in essence, helps others to design their own revolutions.

We're catching up with Srdja Popovic as part of our project, By Design' His new book is titled "Blueprint for Revolution: How to Use Rice Pudding, Lego Men, and Other Nonviolent Techniques to Galvanize Communities, Overthrow Dictators, or Simply Change the World." Srdja Popovic was in Belgrade, Serbia.
 

For more stories from our project 'By Design', visit our special website at cbc.ca/bydesign There are stories there on everything from how to design our cities to be more drought resistant... to the story of the design behind the office cubicle.

This segment was produced by The Current's Howard Goldenthal.