Tactics And Targets Of Revolutionary Terrorism Politics Essay

Tactics And Targets Of R organic evolutionary act of curseism Politics EssayRevolutionary terrorism is a phenomenon that has affected some(prenominal) of the ara since the beginning of the twentieth century. This essay get out argue that rotatory terrorism has its roots in extremist socialist guess. It is this framework that provides the justifications and rationales for alterationist terrorist activity. I depart begin with an give a portline of the primal judgments of revolutionary thought, as described in the publications of Marx and Engels. Further more than it will be shown that other key figures, including Vladimir Lenin, monoamine oxidase Tse-Tung and Marighella view as influenced the evolution of revolutionary terrorism in the twentieth Century. Secondly, I will outline the tactical manoeuvre employed by revolutionary terrorist conclaves and the conferences and individuals that constitute their targets. They argue that the use of terrorist manoeuvre wit h the aim of replace exploitive capitalist government activitys with an equitable socialist society is in keeping with the fundamental aims of revolutionary socialism. In magnitude to illustrate the influence of the theory discussed, I will examine the cases of the Italian personnel casualty Brigade and the Japanese loss Army. These groups underwent a campaing of terror to facilitate this replace. By opting to use terrorism they sought to undermine the legitimacy of their respective governments and agitate for a common rising.In regularize to understand the justficications that revolutionary terrorists have had for the use of terrorist activity, it is inevitable to look at a series of events that took place in the 20th century. The writings of Marx and Engels ar key. red ink thought holds that the great inequalities that exist in the world in terms of the uneven distribution of wealth, power and the three estates are due to the oppression of the working trackes by the wealthy bourgeoise. Marx contends that a fundamental change of government must occur to achieve social, stintingal and political equality. His vision of an equitable socialist society will piss place but after the advent of revolution, the overthrow of the bourgeoise by the working class. cardinal to red ink thought is a call to build up of the hatful. It is this call to arms that is central in revolutionary terrorists rationales for the use of political violence. Although Marx was personally remote to terrorist violence as a authority of achieving his socialist vison, further developments of the 20th century can be seen as instrumental in the evolution of revolutionary terrorist rationale. 1917 saw the Russian revolution and the succesful creation of a communist government. The progression of the socialist cause in other countries somewhat the world however stagnated. This was partly due to the repression of leftist movements in liberal states around the world. Soviet Leader of the time Vladimir Lenin criticised socialist leadership for their passivity and their lose of militancy in saving to the highest degree revolution. Lenins solution to the problem came in the form of the apprehension of the Vanguard. He proposed the creation of an elite militant group to create the circumstances in which a popular uprising could occur. Mao Tse-Tungs use of guerilla warfare in his fight a advancest the Chinese nationalists was godlike greatly by Leninist thought. The Chinese Red Army acted as the cutting edge of the socialist cause and succesfully radicalised the population, which was key to their ultimate victory and ascent to power. By the 1960s The need of success once again in bringing about the revolution led to leftist thinkers turning to even more violent and militant means to achieve their political aims. The contribution of Brazilian marxist and writer at this point in time was undeniable. In his most famous work the Minimanual of the Urban Guerrilla of 1969, he provides advice on how to overthrow an authoritarian regime to bring about revolution. Among the key messages of his writings is that of arm propoganda. He argues that the use of violence and terrorism is an beta beam of light for those seeking to achieve socialism. In his book he describes terrorism as a weapon the revolutionary can never relinquish. The use of terrorist tactics in conflicts in South America became a source of divine guidance for leftist groups in Europe and other parts of the world. During the 1960s and seventies the vast majority of developed countries experienced attacks from revolutionary terrorists. Thus, the inherent dissimilarity that exists in a capitalist society can be seen as the primary justification that revolutionary terrorists have for the use of terrorist acts to achieve their object of a socialist society.Among the most intumesce known and most black revolutionary terrorist groups was that of the Italian Red Brigade. Fo unded in 1970 by far left field students, the Red Brigades considered the Italian government of the 1960s and 1970s to be a contemporary version of the Fascist Italy of the 1940s. The members were particularly critical of the political and economic institutions of the Italian state. In their 1975 manifesto they state their goal as a concentrated strike against the heart of the state, becasuse the state is an imperialist collection of international corporations. The Red Brigades aimed to replicate the socialism of Lenins Soviet Union. They justified their violent acts inclination that they operated within a coherent intellectual tradition and considered themselves the vanguard of the Italian proletariat. The militant leftist group of the Japanese Red Army were realized in 1969 and advocated imminent socialist revolution. They differed from their Italian counterparts in their engaging in terrorist activity primarily on foreign soil. This was due brinyly to the particular that the autocratic Japanese regime was very effective in stamping out leftist dissidence. The stated aims of the JRA were to overthrow the Japanese government and monarch and initiative a world revoloution. Often cooperating with other international leftists groups, the JRA were a surface organised and methodical terrorist group.TacticsThe tactics utilised by revolutionary terrorist groups are in keeping with the fundamental aims of revolutionary socialist theory. Among the tactics adoptive by such groups embroil armed robbery to gain resources and weapons for their cause, twats, assasinations, indiscriminate attacks of civilians in public places, hijacking and the taking of hostages. Revolutionary terroists have two key aims that they wish to achieve through with(predicate) their use of terrorist tactics. The first of these is to undermine the legitimacy of the existing regime. By undertaking a series of terrorist acts against both civilian and official targets, revolutionary terrori st groups hope to upset the societal framework on which civilans depend and trust. A successful campaign of terrorist acts will call into question the competence of the government which fails to complete its fundamental tariff of protecting its people. It is hoped that the resulting decrease of legitimacy in the eyes of the people will bring about popular discontented and a desire for political change. In this situation the dissidents would have the hazard to inherit power and accomplish political, social and economic changes. The second main aim of dissidents is to provoke governments to be repressive. This approach is rooted in the concepts developed by Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci. Gramsci contendeds that capitalist states engage in de disengage deception of their working classes in order to preserve the status quo. His concept of hegemonic false consciousness holds that states by design hide their repressive and authoritarian temperament and distract the population to resist it from taking part in revolutionary activity. In the process of attempting to aim with the threat of terrorist activity and counter the destabalising effects on society, a government will tend to decrease the rights of the population. In doing so the real nature of the state would be revealed and would be opposed by the people. This strategy of agitational terror was utilised to great effect by the Italian Red Brigades.The Red Brigades also performed a number of bank robberies, which served both to fund their cause.Undertook kidnappings of key political and business leaders.Another method they employed to attack the agreement was that of kneecapping, which involved shooting both knees of a target in order to cripple them. In the 1977 trial of captured Red Brigade members disrupted transactions by assasinating a judge and members ofGiven the Japanese Red Armys unfitness to operate within Japan, the groupHopes of terrorists is that they will provoke the government to be r epressive. In its attempts to deal with the threat of terrorists, government will become more repressive, they will restrict the rights of the population. this repression will make the masses see the true colours of the regime, this will then spark a popular revolt, or at least undermine popular book for the regime. This provocation ofhope to destabilise the state, because if the government is unable to deal with the threat of terrorists and support its people, the support for the government will dissappear. The competence of the government is called into question, and thus its legitimacy. Popular discontent could then bring about change, and in this situation the dissidents would have the opportunity to gain power and then implement changes.The intended effect of terrorist strategiesinclude armed robbery to gain weapons and resources for the cause. kidnapping, assasinations, indiscriminate attacks in public places. kidnapping for the purpose of coercive bargaining. hijacking of ae roplanes, taking hostages.revolutionary terrorists advertise their cause.Carlos Marighella concept of coercive bargaining. kidnapping of businessmen or prominent figures, demand the colony of labour disputes or distribution of goods to the poor, or demanding release of political prisoners.Assassinaton by snipers, letter bombs, car bombs etc.undertake campaigns of assassinations. sometimes also orchestrate this with industrial action..Indiscriminate attacks in public places Firing randomly of form guns into crowds of Israeli civilians in 1972 at Lydda Airport by Japanese group sponsored by Palestinian radical exiles.TargetsDistinction between audience and the targets of the attacks themselves.The honor of terrorism to revolutionary groups lies in its pyschological effectiveness. The intention is to generate a psychological response among the people, which varies from fear to sympathy or admiration of the cause. It is the hope that these aroused responses will influence political behaviour and further the chances of success for the revolution. The main audience is therefore the civilian population.targets are selected often as they are symbols, or represent something.Terrorism affects the social structure as well as the individual it upsets the framework of precepts and images which members of society depend on and trust. Since no one longer knows what sort of behaviour to expect from other members of society, the remains is disoriented. hopes to destabilise the ruling power as its people dont have religion in its ability to protect them, thus diminishing their legitimacy in the eyes of the people.(Thornton, revolutionary terrorism expert)Revolutionary terrorists are not pshychopaths, they are dedicated individuals operating within a coherent intellectual tradition.They do not have the capability to meet established military forces cutting edge on in battle, use terrorist tacticsThe red brigades-Drew on Marxist/Leninist writings.What are the elements/fea tures of socialist thought which have provided terrorists with justifications for terrorist action?What are the honourable justifications for terrorism within revolutionary socialist thought?terrorism as a means/vehicle to overcoming exploitive, repressive capitalist societies.The appeal of marxism in the past is clear. Class inequality, vision of the creation of a communist utopia. quest a more equitable distribution of power and wealth.concept of armed propoganda by Carlos Marighella. The terrorists were to bring about the circumstances in which the popular uprising would occur catalysts for changeagitational terror. premeditated political strategy.Brainstorming/ notes.In order to understand the justifications of revolutionary terrorism it is necessary to investigate the Marxist ideas in which revolutionary violence is based. Social and political change.Marxist concept of class inequality needs to be rectified. Marxist vision of a communist state/ society, in which there is soci al, economic and political equality. (economic inequality, inequitable nettle of resources)Struggle between classesStruggle driven by ownership of means of productionEnd point of explanation/ goal is fabianismThe rootage of this social change is class struggle (tyranny of bourgeoise). The bourgeoise (the owners of means of production) and the proletariat (workers). Marx predicts the eventual clash of these classes, with the prediction that the proletariat will be the victors.An appealing/ utopian political vision, something worth fighting for.The communist manifesto (conveys basic ideas of communism, only if written to appeal to proletariat).. So who is going to bring about this change? Who is going to be the vehicle for change?Communists openly declare their aims The communists ostentation to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their aims can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. let the ruling classes tremble at a c ommunist revolution. The proletarians have nada to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Proletarians of all countries, plug into (Marx and Engels 1848).Key message is that in order to make this transition happen, proletariat needs to fight.Lenin wrote pamphlet What is to be done, as overthrow of bourgeoise had not til now been achieved as predicted by Marx. Came up with concept of the Vanguard. Aimed to accelerate revolution. Blamed the lack of change on the passivity of the leadership, that socialist leaders had been to compromising in their dealings with liberal states. He criticised the passivity of the masses. Solution the vanguard. the creation of a committed and militant group, who would forge ahead, even if the conditions arent yet perfect for revolution, accelerating history to bring about the dictatorship of the proletariat and an eventual communist society. (from speech communication slides).Because of the success of the Russian revolution of 1917, liberal democracies were able to prevent this hazard again in their own countries. Different tactic had to be adopted in order for communism to be realised. Must be a more militant approach, an army needs to be built to liberate the proletariat. (good example of maoist china. Utilised guerrilla warfare to bring about revolution. Maos book on guerrilla warfare. For mao, guerrilla warfare is means of radicalising the population. won hearts and minds of people.A move from a political vanguard to a guerrilla vanguard. Eventually to terrorist vanguard.Concept of the vanguard was central to the thinking of revolutionary terrorists of the 1960s and 1970s.Problem of the 1960s was that revolution seemed to stall again explanation for this was false consciousness. The reason that the proletariat had not yet risen up to bring about the revolution. Antonio Gramsci, Italian Marxist. False consciousness argument is that through media, advertising, books, novels etc.. the bourgeoisie class convince the o ppressed proletariat that their life is not so bad. They distract the people from realising that their real place is in revolution. Introduces concept of hegemonic false consciousness, makes people desire what is not really in their interests.The way to educate the masses, to neutralise the hegemonic discourses which seduced and distracted the people, is to shock them. Arguments of Carlos Marighellas (wrote The minimanual of the urban guerrilla). That terrorism is an important tool for revolutionaries. Armed propaganda, using violence to gain attention to the cause. A way of cutting through false consciousness. Provokes the liberal state to be repressive and thus expose its true face as a fascist dictator.Terrorism is used as a means of mobilising the masses to act. Armed propaganda. Role is to fight, to keep up the cause, to remind people that communism is still a realisable dream. Keeping alive the revolutionary dream. (marighellas argument).Examples Japanese Red Army, pro Palesti nianRed Army Faction.Italian Red Brigades Antonio Negri. exposition revolutionary terrorism Revolutionary terrorism is a part of insurgent strategy in the context of internal warfare or revolution the attempt to seize political power from the established regime of a state, if successful causing fundamental political and social change.