VIOLENCE, TERRORISM, NONVIOLENCE - VEHICLES OF SOCIAL CONTROL (FROM SOCIAL CONTROL FOR THE 1980'S - A HANDBOOK FOR ORDER IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, 1978, BY JOSEPH S ROUCEK)

• NCJ Number: 59890
• Author(s): L J MARTIN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: Greenwood Publishing Group
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

VIOLENCE, TERRORISM, POWER, COMMUNICATION, AND BEHAVIOR ARE EXPLORED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL CONTROL, AND MEASURES FOR COUNTERING TERRORISM ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

VIOLENCE IS AN ACT OF HUMAN VOLITION AND A FORM OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR. VIOLENCE IS USED FOR PURPOSES OF COERCION, WITH A DISTINCTION BETWEEN VIOLENCE AND POWER. NUMBERS CONSTITUTE AN IMPORTANT REQUISITE OF POWER, WHEREAS VIOLENCE DEPENDS ON IMPLEMENTS. TERRORISM IS ONE ASPECT OF VIOLENCE, BUT DIFFERS FROM THE OVERALL CONCEPT OF VIOLENCE. LIKE VIOLENCE, ITS INSTRUMENTALITY IS FORCE BUT IT QUITE FREQUENTLY STOPS AT THE THREAT OF FORCE; LIKE VIOLENCE, IT SEEKS POWER BUT IT OFTEN HAS MORE LIMITED OBJECTIVES; AND UNLIKE VIOLENCE, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TERRORISM RESTS MAINLY WITH ELEMENTS OF SURPRISE AND FEAR. AS A TERM IN COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOR, TERRORISM HAS THE UNUSUAL FUNCTION OF OPERATING AT BOTH ENDS OF THE COMMUNICATION CONTINUUM FROM PURELY MENTAL TO PURELY PHYSICAL. VIOLENCE, FORCE, AND TORTURE USE PHYSICAL MEANS TO ATTAIN THEIR OBJECTIVES. TERRORISM AND BRAINWASHING ARE INITIATED FOR COMMUNICATION PURPOSES BY MENTAL MEANS. THEY ESCALATE AS COMMUNICATION PROGRESSES TO THE PHYSICAL END OF THE CONTINUUM. TERRORISTS SELDON DEMAND THE FULL REALIZATION OF THEIR CAUSE, BUT TERRORISM MAY BE EMPLOYED AFTER OTHER FORMS OF COMMUNICATION HAVE FAILED. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TERRORISM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. ON THE OTHER HAND, TERRORISM THAT PUSHES IN A DIRECTION FOR WHICH THERE IS LITTLE SUPPORT LACKS POWER. NONVIOLENCE APPEARS TO BE A FORM OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR THAT BELONGS AT THE MENTAL END OF THE COMMUNICATION CONTINUUM, EVEN THOUGH IT FITS RIGHT NEXT TO VIOLENCE AT THE PHYSICAL END. THERE IS A MORALITY ISSUE IN NONVIOLENCE, AS WELL AS IN TERRORISM AND VIOLENCE. THE QUESTION OF MORALITY IS MOST RELEVANT WHEN VIOLENCE MANIFESTS ITSELF AS AN INTELLECTUAL RATHER THAN AS A SPONTANEOUS ACT. INTERNATIONAL LAW IS AMBIVALENT ABOUT VIOLENCE AND TERROR, AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE ONE OF DIVORCING TERRORISM AND OTHER FORMS OF CRIMINAL VIOLENCE FROM REBELLION OR REVOLUTION. PROBABLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD USED TO COMBAT TERRORISM IS PREVENTION THROUGH COMMUNICATION. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)