POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND THE 'CORRELATION OF FORCES'

• NCJ Number: 61894
• Journal: Orbis Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Dated: (WINTER 1976) Pages: 1270-1288
• Author(s): W S THOMPSON
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 19 pages
• Corporate Author: Foreign Policy Research Institute
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE QUALITATIVE EFFECTS OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE ON THE NONCOMMUNIST WORLD ARE EXAMINED, INCLUDING POSSIBLE BENEFITS DERIVED BY THE MAJOR COMMUNIST ALLIANCE SYSTEMS, AN IDEOLOGY, OR AN IDEOLOGICAL SYSTEM.

Abstract

'POLITICAL VIOLENCE,' AS OPPOSED TO 'TERRORISM,' IS THE EXTRALEGAL USE OF FORCE TO AFFECTING POLITICAL DECISIONS OF CONSTITUTED AUTHORITIES. VARIOUS FORMS--KIDNAPPING, HIJACKING, BOMBING, ASSASINATION--ARE USED TO INFLUENCE A TARGET AUDIENCE AND ONLY INCIDENTALLY TO HARM THE VICTIM. POLITICAL VIOLENCE STEMS FROM BOTH THE WEAKNESS OF NONCOMMUNIST STATES AND THE STRENGTH OF TERRORIST FORCES. THIRD WORLD STATES ARE CENTERS OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE BECAUSE OF POSTCOLONIAL CONFLICTS, ABSENCE OF INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS, AND SUCCESS OF STATE-SPONSORED VIOLENCE TO ACHIEVE GOALS. IN THE WEST, THE DECLINE OF AMERICAN LEADERSHIP HAS LED TO A CRISIS OF VALUES AND PURPOSE IN WESTERN NATIONS. AT THE SAME TIME, WESTERN EUROPE WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY VULNERABLE TO AFRICAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN REVOLUTIONARIES, ETHNIC SEPARATISM MOVEMENTS WERE FLOURISHING, AND ECONOMIC MALAISE WAS SPREADING. TO WESTERN DEMOCRACIES, RESULTS OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE INCLUDE CURTAILMENT OF FREEDOMS AND POSSIBLE ABONDONMENT OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. CONVERSELY, THE SOVIET UNION BENEFITS FROM THE WEST'S DISARRAY AND VULNERABILITY AND ACTIVELY SUPPORTS REVOLUTIONARY ACTIVITIES. ALTHOUGH THE WEST HIRES GUNMEN AND PRIVATE ARMIES TO PROTECT FOREIGN INTERESTS, THESE EFFORTS HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN REACTIVE, OCCURING AFTER WESTERN INTERESTS HAVE BEEN THREATENED. ATTEMPTS AT DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN 'TERRORISTS' DRIVEN BY IRRATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND 'FREEDOM FIGHTERS' WITH JUST CAUSES HAVE LARGELY FAILED IN THE FACE OF SUCCESSFUL SOVIET PROPAGANDA IN THE THIRD WORLD, THE UNITED NATIONS, AND AMONG WESTERN NATIONS THEMSELVES. SOLUTIONS WILL NOT COME FROM THE UNITED NATIONS OR FROM THE DISARRAYED WESTERN NATIONS, BUT HOPEFUL DEVELOPMENTS MAY ARISE IN THE FUTURE. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (WJR)