2. Major struggles and the demonstration of political views between football fans
IV. Historical overview of politically oriented hostility
V. Other cases of today’s political violence
VI. Conclusion
Every individual possesses myriad of feelings that can be manifested in billions of ways. And it is not limited to the instincts: quite often in addition to the need in food, sleep and sexual activity, people feel aggression and violence toward others. From generation to generation, from century to century human society has tried to extinguish these feelings, but there were numerous cases when such attempts failed. Sometimes aggression was the main instinct of world rulers, and it created a lot of troubles. Though, the world and the human minds have changed much, aggression and violence still find their place in nowadays life.
Violence has been the issue of global importance for the whole time of human existence. It has been regarded as a means of problem-solving or the way that leads to political and social destruction. Benjamin Ginsberg in his article supports the idea that violence is considered to be the force that helps politics to accomplish its goals (Ginsberg 1). Various scientists, philosophers and politicians prove that violence is regarded as the driving force in the political sphere of life. Another point provided by Benjamin Ginsberg states that violence give the answer to three prior issues of every country, namely, territoriality, statehood and power. In other words, violent methods determine what nations get more power, what territory they get according to their power and influence and how they implement their power over weaker nations (Ginsberg 3).
In nowadays democratic society political forces try to solve problems and make important decisions by using non-violent means in governing the humankind. Still, violence is important for politics for different reasons. Considering the ideas of Benjamin Ginsberg, violence is important as it is, first, the major form of political dominance and, second, it provides the transformative effect on the political forces and the whole society (Ginsberg 4).
Of course, violence is perceived as a global political and social problem and each country is seeking for the alternative solutions. Benjamin Ginsberg provides the examples of two schools, the Kantians and the Hobbesians, which are looking for the ways of fighting against violence in the world. Kant considered violence to be an international conflict and aimed at creating a greater amount of republican governments with a regime that presupposes engaging in armed aggression activity. Hobbes aimed at creating such a powerful government that would be able to cope with strife (Ginsberg 10).
In fact, most democratic political forces try to use non-violent means in governing the society. But, they forget that violence cannot be destroyed by peaceful methods. Force can be destroyed by another force, and peace is the result of two struggling forces.
Political violence touches upon all spheres of human existence. In nowadays world the political situation is tensed and reflects uneasy relations between different countries. The latest and the hottest example that reveals the political instability in the world concerns Euro-2016. Football hooligans do not make the sport more interesting, they are only a disgrace to all the fans of the national teams. It is sad that the beginning of the European Football Championship in 2016 was marked by the aggressive activity of numerous fans. Indeed, many people were waiting for the grand sports event, but not for the politicized conflicts between young people from different countries.
Even before the first match of the championship, English fans showed their arrogance and made even a real riot in Marseilles. According to media reports, the British did not fight just with local fans, but also provoked a massacre among the members of the local Muslim community. It is reported that fans chanted "ISIL, where are you?" (Doughty). The target of the hooligans was also a bus, painted in the colors of the Russian flag. At the end of the match between England and Russia, dozens of Russian fans broke through a cordon of protection, rushed in the sector of English fans and started a brawl. British media reports that such behavior was provoked by Russian hooligans (BBC News).
In Lille, about 50 ultra-fans of the German national team were attacked by a group of Ukrainian fans. The attack began when the smoke bombs and glass bottles as well as restaurant chairs became the tools of fighting. The German fans were shouting neo-Nazi slogans and waving flags of the Third Reich. It is noted that German thugs attacked even the correspondent of the Munich sport channel Sport1 (Doughty).
Apparently, the violence in the UEFA EURO 2016 does not subside, and the Union of European Football Associations needs to organize the investigation of all incidents in order to find and punishment for those who are responsible for the crimes. So far, no one has explained why the European football championship has suddenly become so cruel.
Sport has become more and more politicized in recent years. During the Cold War sport events revealed the hostile political confrontation between the two systems. In 1979, the Soviet Union has mobilized troops to Afghanistan, and the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow were boycotted by the United States and other countries. The next Olympic Games, held in 1984 in Los Angeles, were ignored by the Soviet Union. The Cold War has gone, but the political powers continue to interfere with their interests in the sport sphere. It is worth remembering, for example, the requirements of some European leaders to boycott the Ukrainian part of Euro-2012, Brussels agreements, or attempts to deprive Belarus of the right to conduct 2014World Hockey Championship.
Hatred, racism and nationalism have become common features of sport events. In Marseille particularly distinguished English hooligans had time to quarrel with both the Russians and the locals-Muslims. The German fans demonstrated also their disgusting nature, openly showing their neo-Nazi views in Lille (Doughty).
Today the political situation in the world demands from the politicians to negotiate on the issues of sharp disagreements and disputes between nations. For the last decade the world has changed much. Democratic countries suffer from violent behavior of non-democratic and democratic countries as well. The governments fight for their supremacy and dominance in the world. For instance, the eastern part of Ukraine became the victim of Russian violence that aims at renewal of the power of the former Soviet Union. French people suffer from ISIL terrorists, and this case was also politically presupposed. Every violent action is based on political ambitions and goals that cannot be reached through non-violent peaceful means. With this regard, the political forces of the countries must find the alternative ways of coexistence in order to avoid violent armed acts and to protect the society.
Works Cited:
BBC News. Euro 2016 Violence: England Fans Urged to 'Behave Responsibly'. The Daily Politics. (2016). UK News. Web. 22 Jun. 2016.
Doughty, Sophie. 'Euro 2016 Violence Is Worst I've Seen in My Career' Says UK's Top Football Cop. Sport: Euro 2016. (2016). Mirror. Web. 22 Jun. 2016.
Ginsberg, Benjamin. Why Violence Works. The Chronicle Review. (2013): 1-12. University Libraries: The Chronicle of Higher Education. Web. 22 Jun. 2016.
