NCJ Number
58170
Date Published
1976
Length
91 pages
Annotation
TERRORISM HAS BECOME A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN THE WORLD TODAY, ESPECIALLY IN LATIN AMERICA. THIS 1976 BOOK PRESENTS A STUDY OF THE TECHNIQUES, MOTIVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF TERRORISM.
Abstract
THE ISSUE OF TERRORISM TRANSCENDS BORDERS. IT HAS IMPORTANT RAMIFICATIONS FOR THE WORLD IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, SOCIAL AFFAIRS, ECONOMICS AND MANY OTHER FIELDS. THERE IS A STRONG NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE GOAL OF TERRORISM, THAT IT AIMS NOT TO CREATE SYMPATHY BUT FEAR, THAT ADVERSE REACTION TO TERRORISM IS WHAT THE TERRORISTS DESIRE. THIS BOOK PRESENTS A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF TERRORIST BANDS IN ARGENTINA, BRAZIL AND URUGUAY, AS WELL AS STUDIES OF CHE GUEVARA AND THE GENERAL MARXIST-LENINIST IDEOLOGY AS APPLIED TO PRACTICAL TERRORISM. THE CONCLUSION IS REACHED THAT THE SOCIAL BASE OF CONTEMPORARY LATIN AMERICAN TERRORIST MOVEMENTS IS CONSTITUTED BY THE YOUTH OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CLASS: EDUCATED PERSONS WITHOUT INDEPENDENT MEANS. THE DEGREE TO WHICH THIS GROUP DESPAIRS IS OFTEN A SIGN OF THE DEGREE TO WHICH TERRORISM ERUPTS. BUT THIS IS NOT THE ONLY CAUSE OF TERRORISM IN LATIN AMERICA, TERRORISM IS ALSO A REACTION AGAINST UNSATISFACTORY LIVING CONDITIONS AND A BID TO SEIZE POWER AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE CONDITIONS. LATIN AMERICAN TERRORISM IS A REACTION TO THE BUREAUCRATIC CAPITALISM OF MUCH OF SOUTH AMERICA, A STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STATE AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY. THIS SYSTEM FLOURISHES WHEN THE ECONOMY IS HEALTHY, WHEN THE ECONOMY DECLINES OR WHEN THE SYSTEM BECOMES TOO BIG FOR THE ECONOMIC STRENGTH OF THE NATION, THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF THE MIDDLE CLASS DECLINES AND THE NATION BECOMES RIPE FOR TERRORISM. THE ONLY SOLUTIONS ARE A CUBAN STYLE REVOLUTIONARY EXPROPRIATION OF MUCH OF THE WEALTH OF THE INDUSTRIAL CLASS, OR A CHILEAN STYLE MILITARY DICTATORSHIP WITH A DECREASE IN THE SIZE OF THE BUREAUCRACY. THE WORK CONTAINS NOTES AND REFERENCES. (KCP)