NCJ Number
56212
Date Published
1974
Length
41 pages
Annotation
FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCES IN ENGLAND, THE UNITED STATES, LEBANON, CYPRUS, AND ALGERIA ARE PRESENTED AS EVIDENCE OF THE ESSENTIALLY SUBJECTIVE NATURE OF POLITICAL DISINTEGRATION AS IT RELATES TO TERRORISM.
Abstract
THE PRIMARY AIM OF OBSERVATIONS IN THE FIVE COUNTRIES WAS TO EXPLORE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TERRORISM AND THE FEAR OF ANARCHY. IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT THERE IS NO EXACT DISTINCTION BETWEEN TERRORISM AND POLITICS AND THAT ORDINARY POLITICAL ACTIVITIES ARE SUFFUSED WITH LATENT AND RESIDUAL TERROR. LATENT TERROR MEANS THE ABILITY TO AROUSE PUBLIC OPINION. RESIDUAL TERROR REFERS TO FEARS PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT THE RECURRENCE OF SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO THEM. FROM A SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION PERSPECTIVE, TERRORISM IS PRIMARILY SUBJECTIVE IN THAT ITS EFFECT IS TO EXCITE UNCERTAINTY AND FEAR IN THE MIND, THEREBY ELICITING PREDICTED AND DESIRED BEHAVIOR. TERRORISM IS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE OVERT COERCION OF VICTIMS OR THEIR PHYSICAL DESTRUCTION IN ITS INTENT AND EFFECT. A POLITICAL ACT (COMPLIANCE) IS THE GOAL OF TERRORISM RATHER THAN THE SUBVERSION OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE. CASE STUDIES IN ENGLAND, THE UNITED STATES, LEBANON, AND CYPRUS SHOW THAT SOCIAL PERPETUATING PHENOMENA OCCURRED IN THE FACE OF VICIOUS AND USUALLY PROTRACTED VIOLENCE BY AGGRIEVED MINORITIES TO ACHIEVE A SUBSTANTIAL POLICY CHANGE OF THEIR GOVERNMENT OR REGIME CHANGE. IN ALGERIA, HOWEVER, ANOTHER FORM OF TERROR WAS OBSERVED THAT INVOLVED THE IMPLICIT AND OCCASIONALLY OVERT MANIPULATION OF STATE SANCTIONS BY THE POSTREVOLUTIONARY MILITARY REGIME TO MAINTAIN POLITICAL CONTROL OVER CITIZENS BY TERRORIZING THEM POLITICALLY, ECONOMICALLY, AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY. METHODOLOGICAL RULES FOLLOWED IN THE FIVE CASE STUDIES OF POLITICAL DISINTEGRATION AND LATENT AND RESIDUAL TERROR ARE OUTLINED. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)