Political

Violence in
The Modern
Era
The History of Terrorism
as a Strategy of Political
Insurgency
Section 5
Political Violence
State Against State
Clash of sizeable armies
Organized, planned, studied
Capable of supporting
Bureaucracy

Citizens Against Citizens
Common crime
Racial strife
Political strife
Vigilantism

State Against Citizens
Ordinary and legal (arrest,
execution)
Clandestine, illegal intimidation

Citizen Against State
Organized or spontaneous
Insurgency is an organized form

Forms of Insurgent Resistance
Coup d'tat
Leninist Revolution
Revolution
Guerilla War
Riot
Non-Violent Resistance
Insurgent Strategies
Coup d'tat
A planned Insurgency at a high level
Sudden
Forceful
Political
Always planned to be swift
Often military based
Limited destruction

Guerilla Warfare
Strategy of protracted war
Diffuse
Small formations
Flexibility offsets inferior firepower

Leninist Revolution
Tightly knit, clandestine part
organization
Often long period of preparation,
including the recruitment, education,
and organization of a revolutionary
class
Long preparation is to be followed by
short revolution
Terrorism
Strategic choice
Distinctly different than the other
forms of violence
Weapons and targets are different
Often used in conjunction with
Guerilla strategies


Comparing the Strategies
Chaliand, Gerard, & Blin, Arnaud, Eds The History of Terrorism, from Antiquity to Al Qaeda
Berkley; University of California Press 2007
Chapter 2 -Merari, Ariel Terrorism as a Strategy of Insurgency Page 20 Table 2, Page 26 Table 3

Comparison of Forms of Insurgency
Form of
Insurgency
Insurgency
Level
Number
Involved
Duration of
Struggle
Violence Threat to
Regime
Spontaneity
Coup dtat High Few Short Varied High No
Leninist
Revolution
Low Many Short Great Great No
Guerilla Low Medium Long Great Varied No
Terrorism Low Few Long Little Small No
Riot Low Medium Short Little Small Yes
Non-violent
Resistance
Low Many Long No Varied No

Comparison of Terrorism, Guerilla War, and Conventional War as Modes of Violent Struggle
Conventional War Guerilla War Terrorism
Unit Size in Battle Large Armies/Units Smaller army-type
formations (platoons,
companies, battalions)
Small, usually less than
10 people
Weapons All forms of weapons,
land air and sea
Light infantry but
sometimes artillery,
small boats, planes
Bombs, guns, some
chemical, biological
Tactics Joint operations
between service
branches
Commando type Kidnapping, bombing,
assassination, hostage
taking, Hijacking
Targets Other military units,
industrial and strategic
targets
Most targets are people
and property associated
with government,
military
State symbols, political
opponents, the public
(and their sense of
security)
Intended Impact Physical Destruction Attrition of the enemy Psychological
Control of Territory Yes Yes, at least partial No
Uniform Wear uniforms Frequently uniformed No
Recognition of War
Zones
Conflict limited to
recognized geographical
area
Usually country specific Anything goes,
opportunities exist
everywhere
International Legality Yes, if within rules such
as the Geneva
Convention
If within certain rules, it
can be legal under
international law
No
Domestic Legality Yes No No

Terrorism as a Strategy of Insurgency
Terrorist actions are attacks on the psychology of the
opponent.

Victory is to be achieved through
Propaganda
Intimidation
Provocation
Chaos
Attrition
Sources
Chaliand, Gerard, & Blin, Arnaud, Eds The History of Terrorism,
from Antiquity to Al Qaeda Berkley; University of California
Press 2007
Specifically much of this was from Chapter 2 -Merari, Ariel
Terrorism as a Strategy of Insurgency Page 20 Table 2, and 26
Table 3