Reply #9: Terrorism is modern [View All]

[rogerashton]

Of course, it depends on definition of terms. But the major use of the term has evolved.

It was first used for state violence against citizens in the French Revolution. By the end of the 19th century, however, the "terrorist party" in Eastern Europe established the modern usage: violent attacks by civilians (not state agents) against civilians for political motives.

Originating with constitutional democrats (and anarchists) who opposed absolute monarchy, this tactic was adopted by anticolonial activists in the twentieth century (after WWII in Africa, perhaps earlier in India) and was adopted from them by Muslim activists. It also returned to the European and US left from the same source during the confused 60's and 70's. To be fair, terrorism in this sense was also used to a limited degree by Fascists and Nazi's before WWII. (Most of their violence was conducted as state agents, and thus was worse in many ways than terrorism). The US right seems to have adopted terrorist methods from that source.

I believe that it is best to use the term in that narrow sense, because broadening it assists the present US Duncipality in using the "War on Terra" to justify any damn thing it is pleased to do.