Terrorism Versus Democracy

Examines global terrorist networks and discusses the long-term future of terrorism.

Assesses the major trends and developments in terrorism since the Cold War; Evaluates the options open to democratic governments in combating terrorism; Exposes prevalent myths and half-truths surrounding terrorists and 'freedom fighters'; Good reviews expected; Paul Wilkinson is Britains' leading author on terrorism, appearing often on Channel 4 News; In this major new book the author examines both the new terrorist networks and those that have been around for decades. He also provides US with some much needed criteria for distinguishing between terrorists and freedom fighters, and an explanation of the uses of terrorism as a political, social, criminal and religious weapon. Wilkinson also links the use of terrorism to a wider repertoire of struggle, as it is often used as an adjunct to guerrilla warfare or even full-scale conventional military conflict such as in the Russo-Chechen wars. We are warned against the complacent view that worldwide terrorism is in decline. Over 90% of terrorist attacks are purely internal, thus the annual statistics on international terrorism are dangerously misleading. We are not provided with a magic formula for governments to use, each conflict call

Jihad vs. McWorld is a groundbreaking work, an elegant and illuminating analysis of the central conflict of our times: consumerist capitalism versus religious and tribal fundamentalism. These diametrically opposed but strangely intertwined forces are tearing apart--and bringing together--the world as we know it, undermining democracy and the nation-state on which it depends. On the one hand, consumer capitalism on the global level is rapidly dissolving the social and economic barriers between nations, transforming the world's diverse populations into a blandly uniform market. On the other hand, ethnic, religious, and racial hatreds are fragmenting the political landscape into smaller and smaller tribal units. Jihad vs. McWorld is the term that distinguished writer and political scientist Benjamin R. Barber has coined to describe the powerful and paradoxical interdependence of these forces. In this important new book, he explores the alarming repercussions of this potent dialectic for democracy. A work of persuasive originality and penetrating insight, Jihad vs. McWorld holds up a sharp, clear lens to the dangerous chaos of the post-Cold War world. Critics and political leaders have already heralded Benjamin R. Barber's work for its bold vision and moral courage. Jihad vs. McWorld is an essential text for anyone who wants to understand our troubled present and the crisis threatening our future.

A comparative study of the policies, strategies, and instruments employed by various democratic governments in the fight against terrorism.

A chilling, up-to-the-minute look at the links between political instability and terrorism in Asia and Africa

This book examines the relationships between democratic government and political terrorism. Since the 9/11 attacks, the United States and many of its allies have declared a ‘war on terrorism’. This struggle has been inspired in part by the belief is that by promoting democracy they will also bring an end to terrorism. Where people enjoy the blessings of liberty, they will naturally find peaceful outlets for the expression of their political views, it has been widely held. Terrorism, on the other hand, is seen largely as a consequence of repression. Where citizens cannot choose rulers freely and where dissenting voices are silenced by the authorities, terrorism and other types of violence appear to follow. Democracy and Terrorism investigates the link between terrorism and the underlying principles of democracy, both from an historical perspective and against contemporary developments in the Middle East and elsewhere. Drawing upon a range of different case studies, and using quantitative data to investigate statistical links between the waves of democracy and manifestations of terrorist violence, the book reviews whether terrorism is in fact constrained by the rise of democratic government, and the role of the law in fighting terrorism. This book will be of much interest to students of terrorism, political violence, democratisation, security studies and International Relations in general.

Article originally appeared in the journal Conflict Studies from January 1976 published by the Institute for the Study of Conflict.

Terrorism cannot be treated as a monolithic threat. Moreover, as much as we may wish to focus on the terror tactics and terrorist means, we cannot overlook the ends. In fact, good policy can only be crafted with an understanding of the terrorist strategy; that is, how terrorists integrate their means to secure their goals, given their perception of the security environment. The groups covered in this book change and evolve. While their governments must take aggressive actions to secure their populations against attacks, those governments that recognize the real grievances can simultaneously take action that addresses those grievances. This two-pronged approach simultaneously bolsters state legitimacy across the ethnic and majority populations, while demonstrating state effectiveness regarding insecurity. The authors argue that the best way for states to win legitimacy vis-a-vis terrorists is by adhering to liberal democratic values, cooperating with other states, and applying prudent counterterrorist tactics. Inter-state cooperation, which affects domestic and foreign policies, requires some convergence of political cultures among those cooperating states. This book begins by analyzing five hotspot situations and their regional effects: the Basques in Spain, the ethnic Albanians in Macedonia, the Kurds in Turkey, the Chechens and Russia; and the Palestinians, Israel, and a future Palestinian state. These cases shed some light on how we should understand, characterize, and categorize terrorism, and they provide insights into the concepts of political legitimacy, liberal democracy, political culture, and political community. As the United States assesses its homeland defense posture, it must resist any temptation to weaken its liberal democratic values, and, as a superpower, it must encourage other states to adhere to liberal democratic values as well. Liberal democracy is a security imperative in today's global security environment.