NCJ Number
64909
Journal
Questione Criminale Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (JANUARY APRIL, 1979) Pages: COMPLETE ISSUE
Date Published
1979
Length
139 pages
Annotation
THE PROCEEDINGS OF A 1978 MEETING ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF TERRORISM TO THE CRISIS OF THE ITALIAN STATE AND TO LEFTIST ACTIVITIES ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
TOPICS RELATE TO ARGUMENTS PLACING THE ORIGINS OF TERRORISM EITHER IN THE MARXIST TRADITION (LENIN) OR IN THE ANARCHIST TRADITION (BAKUNIN), TO TERRORISM AS THE RESULT OF A CLASH BETWEEN DEMOCRATIC MECHANISMS IN THE MATURE STAGE OF CAPITALISM AND CLASS ANTAGONISMS, TO THE DIFFERENTIATION OF TERRORISM FROM VIOLENCE, AND TO THE ROOTS OF COLLECTIVE MOVEMENTS IN THE LATE SIXTIES. THE NEED IS EXPLORED FOR A PACT AMONG LABOR AND POPULAR PARTIES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CAPITAL, AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES TO FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM WHICH SEEKS TO UNDERMINE POLITICAL LEGITIMIZATION. THE ROOTS OF TERRORISM AND VIOLENCE ARE EXAMINED IN THE EXTREME RIGHT, IN ANARCHIST RADICALISM, IN THE WORKERS MOVEMENT, AND IN THE ITALIAN PROLETARIAT. AN INTERPRETATION IS GIVEN OF TERRORISM AS A COUNTERREVOLUTIONARY RATHER THAN A LEFTIST MOVEMENT, AND THE RED BRIGADE'S LACK OF A CONSISTENT POLITICAL DOCTRINE IS NOTED. ATTENTION IS OFFERED A COMPARISON OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE, BOTH ESSENTIALLY DICTATORIAL AND MIDDLE-CLASS; AN INTERPRETATION OF VIOLENCE AND THE ETHICS OF EMPHASIZING ENDS WITHOUT REGARD TO MEANS; AND THE SUBJECTIVITY OF VIOLENCE AS A MEANS OF STRUGGLE. ALSO DISCUSSED ARE THE MYTHS OF EXPANDING TERRORISM, TERRORIST ACTIVITIES AS COMPARED TO SECRET SERVICE ACTIVITIES, LEFTIST ORIGINS OF TERRORISM, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TERRORISM AS THE RESULT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CRISIS COMBINED WITH SOCIAL CONTROL BY THE LEFT. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SPONTANEOUS VIOLENCE AND ORGANIZED PROFESSIONAL VIOLENCE AS WELL AS BETWEEN TERRORISM OF THE RIGHT (STATE) AND TERRORISM OF THE LEFT (POPULUS) ARE EXPLORED, AND THE CRISIS OF 'STATE TERRORISM' IN CAPITALISM RESULTING FROM THE SEGMENTATION OF SOCIETY AND THE ABILITY OF COLLECTIVE MOVEMENTS TO EXERT COUNTERFORCE IS OUTLINED. FINALLY, STUDIES ADDRESS THE RELATIONSHIP OF TERRORISM TO WORKERS' MOVEMENTS, TO OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE, AND TO THE INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE; THE POLITICAL, SOCIAL, AND TECHNICAL AND CAPITALIST DIMENSIONS OF TERRORISM; ANTIDEMOCRATIC TENDENCIES OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT AND ABANDONMENT OF LEGAL REFORM EFFORTS AS A CONSEQUENCE OF TERRORIST ACTS; AND THE CAPITALIST DESIRE TO ELIMINATE OPPOSITION RATHER THAN TERRORISM AS THE OBSTACLE TO RADICAL PRISON REFORM. NO REFERENCES ARE FURNISHED. --IN ITALIAN. (KMD)