NATURE OF TERRORISM AND THE EFFECTIVE RESPONSE

• NCJ Number: 58143
• Journal: INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES Dated: (MAY/JUNE 1975) Pages: 7-10
• Author(s): J P DERRIENNIC
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: Information Canada
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

FORMS OF TERRORISM, TERRORIST OBJECTIVES, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TERRORISM, AND THE INTERNATIONAL CONTROL OF TERRORISM ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

REPRESSIVE TERRORISM (USED BY AN ESTABLISHED GOVERNMENT AGAINST ITS CITIZENS), INSURRECTIONAL TERRORISM (USED BY INSURRECTIONISTS AGAINST AN EXISTING POLITICAL STRUCTURE), AND INTERSTATE TERRORISM (USED BY POLITICAL UNITS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER) ARE IDENTIFIED AND DISCUSSED. HISTORIC EXAMPLES ARE USED TO SUPPORT THE CONTENTION THAT ALL TERRORIST ACTIVITIES ARE CHARACTERIZED BY THE USE OF VIOLENCE TO ACHIEVE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SYMBOLIC EFFECTS RATHER THAN PHYSICAL AND MATERIAL GAINS. TERRORISM IS LESS EFFECTIVE THE BETTER ORGANIZED OR MORE HIGHLY MOTIVATED ITS ADVERSARY. REPRESSIVE TERRORISM, THE OLDEST FORM OF TERRORISM, IS MOST LIKELY TO BE EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT IS LESS DIFFICULT TO USE VIOLENCE TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO THAN TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. ALSO, THE ORGANIZATIONAL ABILITY AND RESOURCES OF GOVERNMENT ARE USUALLY SUPERIOR TO THOSE OF SUBJECT POPULATIONS. REPRESSIVE TERRORISM IS GENERALLY TOLERATED BY THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM, PROVIDED IT IS KEPT WITHIN NATIONAL BORDERS. BY DEFINITION, INTERSTATE TERRORISM IS AN INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM. NUCLEAR WEAPONRY MAKES THIS THE MOST SERIOUS THREAT FACING THE WORLD TODAY. THE DEVELOPMENT OF TERRORISM IS LINKED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRACY, BECAUSE THE DERIVATION OF POLITICAL POWER RESIDING IN THE VOTES OF THE PEOPLE HAS MADE ORDINARY CITIZENS TARGETS FOR INTIMIDATION. THE DEVELOPMENT OF TERRORISM ALSO IS LINKED WITH THE GROWTH OF INDUSTRIALIZATION, WHICH HAS MADE ECONOMIC SYSTEMS MORE VULNERABLE TO STRATEGIC ATTACKS. FINALLY, THE DEVELOPMENT OF TERRORISM IS LINKED WITH THE GROWTH OF THE INFORMATION MEDIA AS A MEANS FOR BROADCASTING AND EXPANDING THE INFLUENCE OF TERRORIST ACTIONS. THE STRUGGLE AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM IS ONE OF DISSUASION, RATHER THAN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TERRORISTS OR THE MEETING OF THEIR DEMANDS. FOR DEVELOPED PLURALIST SOCIETIES, THE ANSWER TO TERRORISM LIES IN EQUIPPING THEMSELVES WITH THE MEANS OF CONTROLING TERRORIST TACTICS SO THAT IT BECOMES TOO UNPROFITABLE AS A RATIONAL MEANS FOR OBTAINING OBJECTIVES. (RCB)