NCJ Number
63496
Date Published
1964
Length
29 pages
Annotation
THE THREAT OR USE OF VIOLENCE TO CAUSE CHANGES IN SOCIETY IS EXAMINED FROM A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE WITH EMPHASIS ON ACTS OF TERROR INSTITUTED AS PART OF PLANNED CAMPAIGNS HAVING POLITICAL OBJECTIVES.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH TERROR MAY BE PART OF INTERNATIONAL WARFARE AND THE RESULT OF RANDOM AND IRRATIONAL ACTIONS, IT ALSO SERVES AS AN ACTIVITY FOR INSURGENTS WHO WISH TO DISRUPT EXISTING GOVERNMENTS OR FOR INCUMBENTS SUPPRESSING ANY CHALLENGE TO THEIR AUTHORITY. AN EXAMINATION OF THE THEORETICAL PROBLEM OF AGITATIONAL TERROR BY INSURGENTS INDICATES THAT SUCH TERROR CANNOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THE OUTCOME OF MILITARY ACTION. RATHER, INSURGENCY BY TERROR ATTEMPTS TO BREAK THE ALLEGIANCE OF THE MASSES TO THE INCUMBENTS AND REMOVE THE STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS OF A SOCIETY. INTERNAL WAR WILL NOT OCCUR IN A SITUATION WHICH PERMITS THE CONFLICTING ASPIRATIONS OF THE INCUMBENTS TO BE MET BY CONSTITUTIONAL MEANS. INSTEAD, INSURGENTS USE TERROR BECAUSE THEY LACK POLITICAL SUPPORT; THEY ATTEMPT TO PROVOKE THE INCUMBENTS INTO REPRESSIVE MEASURES WHICH CREATE A JUSTIFICATION FOR THEIR VIOLENT TACTICS. BECAUSE TERRORISTS CANNOT TACTICALLY ELIMINATE THEIR OPPONENTS, THEY RELY ON METHODS WHICH SIMPLY MAKE AN OPPONENT'S WITHDRAWAL LESS COSTLY THAN CONTINUED FIGHTING. TERRORIST ACTS ALSO SERVE TO BUILD MORALE WITHIN THE INSURGENT ORGANIZATION, TO DISORIENT THE LIVES OF THE TARGET POPULATION, AND TO ADVERTISE THE INSURGENCY. TERRORISM IS INTERNAL WAR PROMISES VICTORIES WITH A MINIMAL INVESTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND MATERIALS AND MAY STILL BE USED BY VICTORIOUS REVOLUTIONARIES IN THE CONSOLIDATION OF THEIR AUTHORITY. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)