Terrorism is one of the most widely discussed and, yet, the least understood contemporary phenomena. Thousands of people have died as a result of terrorist attacks, but no one has ever managed to eliminate the threat of terrorism. While old terrorist organizations disappear, new organizations emerge to spread the message of violence. Meanwhile, researchers are trying to systematize the existing knowledge of terrorism and its causes. In her article, Martha Crenshaw (1981) offers a detailed review of the possible causes and explanations of terrorism, based on the analysis of its history. Despite the fact that Crenshaw’s article was published more than 30 years ago, her claims remain extremely relevant today.
Crenshaw (1981) starts with the analysis of setting for terrorism. According to Crenshaw (1981), modernization and urbanization represent two essential forces behind the rapid expansion of terrorism. Modernization acts as a permissive factor of terrorism, whereas urbanization contributes to the complexity and aggregation of various objects, making them more vulnerable to terrorism (Crenshaw, 1981). Really, it is difficult to imagine that 9/11 attacks could be possible without the use of advanced equipment and sophisticated military tactics. The use of large passenger airplanes as an instrument of violence suggests that, through years, modernization has been the driving force of terrorism, providing organizations with abundant material resources to implement their strategies. It seems that modernization makes terrorism easier, and urbanization makes terrorists more productive. With the invention of new technologies, terrorist strategies become more complicated, and the growing complexity of urban areas enables terrorists to kill crowds of innocent people in a single attack.
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"The Causes of Terrorism".
However, setting is not the only factor of increased terrorist activity. From the analysis of setting, Crenshaw (1981) proceeds to the review and evaluation of the principal causes of terrorism. The researcher is convinced that terrorism can serve a diversity of goals, either revolutionary or subrevolutionary (Crenshaw, 1981). Among others, Crenshaw (1981) cites the lack of political participation as a likely cause of terrorist attacks. This statement raises a number of questions. Dozens of social groups around the world face limited involvement in public and political processes. However, few of them resort to terrorism as a means to gain public acceptance and ensure greater involvement in political decision making. Obviously, the lack of political participation is one of the weakest explanations to terrorism. Much more interesting is Crenshaw’s (1981) assumption that terrorist groups deliberately sacrifice peaceful means of conflict resolution for the sake of violence. For instance, the Basque separatist movement in Spain creates a picture of urgency, when peaceful strategies of negotiation seem too innocent or lengthy compared with the quick and destructive consequences of terrorism.
One of the most interesting in Crenshaw’s (1981) discussion is the analysis of individual motives to participate in terrorist groups. No one has ever managed to explain why individuals choose to become terrorists. Given the growing complexity of the global terrorist networks, the importance of individual intentions pales against the growing risks of terrorist attacks against civilians. In my view, the developed world is limited in its capacity to deal with the risks of terrorism. Also, it is wrong to believe that the analysis of individual motivation will help modern governments in their striving to protect their citizens from violence. What is needed is a thorough review of the factors, conditions, and drivers underlying terrorism. In most cases, terrorist attacks indicate the presence of political, social, economic, and cultural tensions. They imply governments’ inability or even reluctance to achieve political agreement for the purpose of stability and peace. The psychological mechanisms of terrorism are not as important as its political and technical factors. “Terrorism is the result of a gradual growth of commitment and opposition, a group development that furthermore depends on government action” (Crenshaw, 1981, p. 396). Consequently, it is governments that should become leaders in the struggle against terrorism, providing resources to satisfy the emerging political ambitions of the diverse majority and minority groups.
- Crenshaw, M. (1981). The causes of terrorism. Comparative Politics, 13(4), 379-399.
