It is also often said that people with power never give it up willingly. If you accept that premise, and believe that injustice is generally the result of people having power that they shouldn't have (such as the power to discriminate, or to ruin people economically, or to kill), then Douglass pretty much as to be correct.

So do people with power ever give it up willingly? I think they sometimes give it up without being forced to, at least by physical force. But I think they probably don't ever give it up without being made so uncomfortable that it is impossible for them to continue as they are. That discomfort can take the form of economic discomfort (boycotts, etc.), moral discomfort, and other means besides violence. However, inflicting any of these forms of discomfort is going to be a struggle.

(Preview seems to be broken, btw. When I hit it, I get sent back to the main page.)