Cryptic crossword clue
If I stop uprising, sergeant major finds non-violent way 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word PACIFISM

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
P
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "non-violent way" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case non-violent way = pacifism.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does PACIFISM mean?

PACIFISM noun
  1. The conviction that it is morally wrong to settle disputes (especially between countries) by war or other violent means.
  2. The additional challenge of winning a game without attacking any enemy characters.

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