STRATEGY AND TACTICS OF REVOLUTIONARY TERRORISM

• NCJ Number: 62214
• Journal: COMPARATIVE STUDIES IN SOCIETY, AND HISTORY Volume: 19 Dated: (JANUARY 1977) Pages: 52-66
• Author(s): H E PRICE
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: Cambridge University Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED AS A PAPER AT THE THIRTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOUTHERN SOCIOLOGICAL SOCIETY IN WASHINGTON, D C, APRIL 9-12, 1975

Annotation

THIS PAPER OUTLINES REVOLUTIONARY STRATEGIES, EXAMINES TERRORIST TACTICS USED BY REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS, AND DETERMINES THE INTENDED AND ACTUAL EFFECTS OF THESE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS IN THREE CASES.

Abstract

REVOLUTIONARY OR AGITATIONAL TERROR (USED BY REVOLUTIONARIES AIMING TO OVERTHROW THE POLITICAL SYSTEM) AS WELL AS FROM OTHER FORMS OF TERROR AND ITS NATURE IS FURTHER REVEALED BY EXAMINING PREVIOUS THEORETICAL ANALYSES. FOR STRATEGIC ANALYSIS, THREE TYPES OF SOCIOPOLITICAL SYSTEMS ARE DISTINGUISHED: AN INDEPENDENT NATION-STATE, A COLONIAL TERRITORY EXTERNAL TO THE MOTHER COUNTRY, AND 'INTERNAL COLONIALISM' (THE COEXISTENCE IN A SINGLE TERRITORY OF DOMINANT AND SUBORDINATE ETHNIC GROUPS). WITHIN AN INDEPENDENT NATION-STATE, THE STRATEGY OF REVOLUTIONARIES MUST BE TO CONVINCE THE POPULATION THAT THE EXISTING REGIME IS NOT LEGITIMATE, AS IN THE CASE OF URUGUAY'S TUPAMARO MOVEMENT. COLONIAL LIBERATION MOVEMENTS MUST CONVINCE THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF THE MOTHER COUNTRY THAT THE COSTS OF REPRESSION WILL BE GREATER THAN THE BENEFITS DERIVED FROM MAINTAINING THE COLONY. FINALLY, THE SUBORDINATE GROUP IN A SITUATION OF INTERNAL COLONIALISM MAY REVOLT, OVERTHROW THE DOMINANT GROUP, OR DEPEND ON OUTSIDE INTERVENTION, AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE CONFLICTS IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND PALESTINE. THE VIOLENT TACTICS OF ANY REVOLUTIONARY TERRORIST MOVEMENT MAY INCLUDE KIDNAPPING, SELECTIVE ASSASSINATION, AND INDISCRIMINATE ATTACKS IN PUBLIC PLACES. TERRORISTS MAY ALSO WISH TO PROVOKE INDISCRIMINATE GOVERNMENT REPRESSION, WITH THE HOPE THAT IT WILL TOUCH OFF A MASS REVOLT, OR AT LEAST UNDERMINE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE REGIME, AS IT DID IN CUBA. IN VIEW OF THE SUGGESTION THAT EACH AGE HAS ITS OWN 'REVOLUTIONARY PARADIGM' OR SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY OF REVOLUTION, THE MODERN AGE (SINCE 1949) CAN BE CHARACTERIZED AS PROMOTING 'PEOPLE'S WAR' (OR GUERRILLA WARFARE). IF THE CURRENT WAVE OF TERRORISM IS BASED ON A UNIVERSAL REVOLUTIONARY PARADIGM, THE SAFETY OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS AND THE FUTURE OF LIBERAL DEMOCRACIES MAY BE THREATENED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (WJR)