NCJ Number
117656
Date Published
1989
Length
168 pages
Annotation
Terrorism is examined in terms of the mixture of fact and fiction that often surrounds discussions of the subject and is analyzed as a coercive tactic that is used by many different groups, some of which dissent from and others of which defend the established order in a political community.
Abstract
The discussion considers the role of coercion in politics and the political processes through which acceptable and unacceptable forms of coercion are defined. Terrorism is next distinguished from other forms of coercion and shown to be used both by regimes and their purported defenders as well as by dissident groups of various types. The psychological and social-psychological explanations for terrorist acts are also explored. An analysis of international terrorism considers the problem of terrorist networks and sponsors. Governmental responses to terrorism are examined, ranging from severe repression to major conciliatory reforms. The need for responses tailored to the particular form of terrorism and the political context in which it occurs is emphasized. The concluding chapter examines the strengths that democracies retain in their struggle to minimize the occurrence of terrorism, whether from dissident or establishment forces. The text concludes that a strong democracy can maintain widespread public feelings regarding the legitimacy of the State and can thereby isolate radical dissident groups and cut them off from mass support. Case examples from around the world, chapter reference notes, figures, and index.