Terrorism
It is a common saying in many news media across the world, “war on terrorism”, but has anyone ever tried to figure out the root cause of terrorism. In our world today, many governments are facing terrorists groups like Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabab and the likes, making their administrations difficult (Assaf 98). An excellent example is the Bush administration that waged war on terrorism after the 9/11 attack on U.S.A (Assaf 78). Terrorism history can be traced back to a time in ancient Greece. Since then, a lot of terrorist acts have taken place throughout history (Chaliand & Arnaud 54). It is evident that the term terrorism, most probably originated during the French Revolution’s era of Terrorand (Bajpai 7). During the French revolution era, terrorism had a positive connotation in that it was a form of bringing order during the anarchy which followed uprisings in France around 1789 (Assaf 28). The people who were referred to as terrorists were more so considered as instruments of governance that existed to intimidate counter-revolutionaries, subversives and dissidents (Bajpai 17). These groups were more so associated some ideals that were intertwined to virtue and democracy. In accordance to a statement by Hoffman, a great revolutionist’s leader by the name Maximillien Robespierre is once acknowledged to have explained the root behind terrorism (Nhimaki 86). Maximillien Robespierre in one of his statement regarding terrorism claimed that terror without virtue was evil and helpless (Bajpai 28). He further explained that terror was simply an act of justice, but in a severe form. Hence, he concluded that terror was basically an emanation of virtue (Nhimaki 26). This paper will hence look into the root of terrorism, its causes and history up to date (Nhimaki 28).
In the 20th century, terrorism still retained its revolutionary connotations that emanated during the French Revolution during the wars that affected the Habsburg and Ottoman empires (Nhimaki 26). Around the 1930s, terrorism meaning somehow mutated to become one linked to activities of totalitarian governments together with their leaders in fighting for the citizenry in fascists Italy, Stalinist Russia and Nazi Germany (Assaf 68). During this time, various groups emanated in an attempt to topple these governments that performed great injustices to their citizens (Bajpai 67). For example, in Italy and Germany, some gangs that wore black shirts or brown shirts intimidated and harassed opponents in that country, although the various leaders of these nations have always denied those allegations (Assaf 42).
Immediately after World War II, again the meaning of terrorism somehow changed to the original revolutionary connotations, just like what it is known as today. Furthermore, terrorist activities dating back in the 1940s and 1950s more so concentrated on revolts carried out by indigenous nationalists groups that opposed colonial rule (Assaf 102). These groups were referred to as terrorists since they had the aim of freeing the people of their country from colonial rule at whatever cost. An example of such an indigenous group in Africa was Mau Mau fighters in Kenya that revolted against the British Rule till when their country got independence (Bajpai 112). In their fight to attain freedom, most colonial rulers gave in to the demands of the terrorists groups by fleeing back to their mother countries and handing over the countries to them (Nhimaki 34). Immediately after such countries got independent, these terrorist groups disappeared in the limelight since their purpose had already been served (Chaliand & Arnaud 84). This clearly indicates that any terrorist group usually has a course of action and goals that they adhere to (Bajpai 53). For instance, the terrorists groups that existed during the colonial rule had intentions of overthrowing the colonial governments from their country and taking over the management of the countries by themselves (Bjrgo 53). In the 1940s and 1950s, there were numerous revolts to oppose colonial rule especially in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East that resulted in independence of the given countries (Assaf 67). In the 1960s and 1970s, the meaning of terrorism still retained its revolutionary connotations (Laqueur 78). However, the focus at that time shifted to separatist goals from anti-colonialist (Bjrgo 63). In these times, there were civil wars in countries simply because of disagreement of power sharing or greed to control the countries resources (Nhimaki 56). These disagreements resulted in mushrooming of terrorist groups who had an aim of separating from those who had different views of how they wanted resources and issues in a given country to be run (Laqueur 89). Moreover, in today’s society, terrorism has come to involve a broader and yet a less distinct goals.
There has been a number of left-wing and right-wing terrorism experienced in recent times (Laqueur 24). Terrorism has become widespread in recent times. It includes diverse groups like the Italian Red Brigades; the Palestine Liberation Organization; the Irish Republic Army; the Liberation Tigers found in Sri Lanka; Weatherman found in United States; Radical Muslims like the Al Qaeda and Hama groups found in the Middle East; Radical Sikhs in India; and AumShinrikyo found in Japan (Nhimaki 46). Usually, there exist some governments that have been found to be linked and fuel terrorism to some extent (Assaf 18). Excellent examples include Iraq, Iran, Libya and Syria (Laqueur 50). Other people, like the American dissident Noam Chomsky, believed that the United States, in some degree, is engaged in fueling terrorism (Bajpai 37). Noam describes that terrorism in the Middle East became fueled when the Americans invaded the Middle Eastern countries to take their oil by force (Bjrgo 33). Terrorist groups emanated in an attempt to chase and rid the Americans of their land as some of the Americans committed crimes which did not please them. The terrorist groups did not like the Americans bring in control of their country and hence were forefront to liberate their nation from their encroachment (Bajpai 78). This is the reason why they used force, murder, beheadings, torture just to get their message to the Americans that they were not welcomed in that region (Nhimaki 46).
In the olden day, during the French Revolution, terrorism was associated mainly with two important characteristics (Richardson 34). These same characteristics are the same ones associated with terrorism today. Basically, terrorism has always be, and is still an organized and systematic run groups (Nhimaki 56). Terrorists usually have leaders, foot soldiers and financiers in any given context (Richardson 36; Wolf 89). Secondly, the goals of terrorism are still like the past for creating a new and better society. Terrorism in today’s world has changed in various fundamental ways (Richardson 39). First of all, terrorist groups and organizations have nowadays evolved into network forms. There are various transnational terrorist organizations that rock havoc in various countries at a global scale for instance Al-Qaeda (Richardson 44). Such groups often claim responsibility for some of the acts committed. In addition, today’s terrorist groups are not as demanding as in the past generation (Richardson 46). They have managed to stick to their goals and remain in secrecy of whatever they want to achieve (Nhimaki 66). Furthermore, in the past, most of their motives were politically oriented, but these days, it has shifted to a more religious orientation (Wolf 79). Moreover, these terrorist groups have targets disperse (Nhimaki 156). Today’s terrorist usually targets the public to cause mass harm so that their grievances to be heard (Bajpai 60).
There have always been several controversies regarding the origin or cause of terrorists groups (Kruger 45). Majorly, the causes can be attributed to political, economic, social and religious causes (Nhimaki 98). During the French revolution, terrorists more so fought to protect their land from invasion and to gain economic and political power (Kruger 66). Before the World War II, terrorist groups resurfaced so as to protest against human rights (Bjrgo 39). After the World War II, the terrorist groups that existed more so fought for political purposes, to gain independence and to fight racism and social injustices that existed at that time (Kruger 123). In the today’s world, terrorist are fighting for various reasons. Some of them include political, others human rights, others religious, others economical and so forth (Chaliand & Arnaud 98). In fact, there are some groups which are not clearly known what their goals are.
In summary, it is now clear that the essay has discussed in detail the root of terrorism and some of its causes. The human population has for centuries had the chance of harboring these groups at some point (Assaf 23). In the 21st century, incidences and the number of terrorist groups are increasing at an alarming rate. It is evident that terrorism can be dated back to the Greek period and also associated to the French revolution (Assaf 67). The core goals of any terrorist is to have their goals met at whatever cost and to fight for the rights they think they deserve. Based on this history and cause of terrorism, one could clearly deduce its course in the coming future (Assaf 78). It has become a menace and unless something is done, the society would not live in peace.
Works Cited
Assaf Moghadam, William Lee Eubank. The Roots of Terrorism. Washington: Infobase Publishing, 2009. Print.
Bajpai, Kanti P. Roots of terrorism. New York: Penguin Books, 2004. Print.
Bjrgo, Tore. Root Causes of Terrorism: Myths, Reality And Ways Forward. New York: Taylor & Francis Group, 2005. Print.
Gérard Chaliand, Arnaud Blin. The History of Terrorism: From Antiquity to Al Qaeda. California: University of California Press, 2007. Print.
Krueger, Alan B. What Makes a Terrorist: Economics and the Roots of Terrorism. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2008. Print.
Laqueur, Walter. A History of Terrorism. New York: Transaction Publishers, 2011. Print.
Nhimaki, Jussi H. An International History of Terrorism: Western and Non-Western Experiences. New York: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Richardson, Louise. The Roots of Terrorism. New York: Taylor & Francis, 2006. Print. (Richardson 34)
Wolf, Irina. Causes of Terrorism by 'the Arabs' Against 'the West': Politics, Religion, And/or Money? New York: GRIN Verlag, 2009. Print.
