NCJ Number
62239
Journal
JOURNAL OF POLITICAL AND MILITARY SOCIOLOGY Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (1973) Pages: 147-157
Date Published
1973
Length
11 pages
Annotation
POLITICAL TERRORISM EXISTS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A BLENDING AND FUSION OF RADICAL POLITICAL PRACTICE WITH SOCIAL DEVIANCE; TERRORISTS, AS A RESULT, ARE DISTINGUISHABLE FROM GUERRILLAS AND REVOLUTIONARIES.
Abstract
THE INTERNATIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF TERRORISM REQUIRE REMEDIES REPRESENTING THE COLLECTIVE EFFORT OF ALL SOCIAL SYSTEMS. NEITHER CAPITALISM NOR SOCIALISM, DEMOCRACY NOR TOTALITARIANISM CAN REMAIN ALOOF. IRONICALLY, THE EXTENT OF TERRORISM MAY REQUIRE THE ADOPTION OF REPRESSIVE POLITICS AND COULD SERVE AS THE CAUSE FOR A VAST SOCIAL REVOLUTION. TERRORISTS VIEW POLITICS AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, AND NOTHING REQUIRES EXAMINATION OR FORETHOUGHT ONCE THE COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLE HAS BEEN MADE. TERRORISTS ALSO POSSESS A SELF-DESTRUCTIVE ELEMENT AND PERCEIVE DEATH AND THE ACT OF TERRORISM AS EXPRESSIONS OF THE CORRECTNESS OF THEIR POLITICS AND THEIR DISCONTENT. THE LEVEL OF IDEOLOGICAL FORMATION IS POOR, REFLECTING A GREATER CONCERN FOR THE ACT THAN FOR THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS WHICH MAY RESULT FROM THE ACT. HOWEVER, THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN TERRORISM AND CRIMINALITY MAY ONLY BE THE RESULT OF LABELING. THE STATE MAY RESTRAIN AND RECONCILE NATIONALS AND GUERRILLAS; IT IS COMPELLED, HOWEVER, TO CONFRONT THE INDIVIDUAL TERRORIST. ALTHOUGH DEMOCRATIC PHILOSOPHY VIEWS TERRORISM AS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, THE SOCIAL-MARXIST TRADITION FAVORS THOSE VIOLENT ACTS ENCOURAGING GENERAL REVOLUTION IN IMPERIALIST COUNTRIES. NEVERTHELESS, RANDOM TERRORISM NOT SUPPORTING THE REVOLUTION OF THE MASSES WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED IN COMMUNIST BLOC NATIONS. THE WESTERN COUNTRIES COULD BETTER RESPOND TO TERRORISM THROUGH COORDINATED INTELLIGENCE EFFORTS. A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (TWK)