psc chapter 5: political violence

Political Violence

violence outside of state control that is politically motivated

Three Explanations for Political Violence

Institutional, Ideational, Individual

Institutional explanations

Existing institutions may encourage violence or constrain human action, creating a violent backlash

Example of an Institutional explanation

Presidentialism

Ideational explanations

Ideas may justify or promote the use of violence

Example of an Ideational explanation

forms of religious fundamentalism; nationalism

Individual explanations

psychological or strategic factors may lead people to carry out violence

Example of an Individual explanation

humiliation, alienation

Revolution

public seizure of the state in order to overturn the existing government and regime

Requirements and Aim of Revolution

public is essential in working to obtain control of the state, aiming to remove a state's regime entirely

Phases of Revolution

First: Pre-WWI Second: Post-WWII & Behavioral Revolution. Third: 1970's-Present

First: Pre-WWI

Studies of revolutionary events

Second: Post-WWII & Behavioral Revolution

studies of disruptive change, such as modernization, as driving revolutionary action

Third: 1970's-Present

studies of domestic and international state power as providing an opportunity for revolution

Relative Deprivation theory

predicts revolution when the public's expectations of the government outrank the rate of tangible domestic change

Nihilism Theory

belief that all institutions and values are essentially meaningless, and the only redeeming value is that of physical violence

Terrorism

use of violence by non-state forces against civilians in order to achieve a political goal

State-sponsored terrorism

terrorism supported directly by a state as an instrument of foreign policy

Guerilla War

a conflict where nonstate combatants, who primarily abide by the rules of war, target the state