Lectures

Question 1

What is the Oxford English Dictionary definition of politics ?

Answer 1

Activities associated with the governance of a country especially the debate between parties having power - concerning constitutional, diplomatic relations between states

Question 2

What do Bloxham and Gerwarth define as political violence?

Answer 2

“All forms of violence enacted pursuant to aims of decisive socio-political control or change”

Question 3

What are key examples of political violence?

Answer 3

Violence in military conflicts
Genocide and ethnic cleansing
Revolution and counter revolution
Terrorism and state repression

Question 4

What states are most prone to violence?

Answer 4

‘Intermediate’ regimes or state in transition e.g. Russia from 1917-22

Question 5

In theory what should democratic governments allow?

Answer 5

Challenges to their rule at specified intervals (elections) and voluntarily relinquish power at the end of their term without recourse into political violence

Question 6

What is the ‘ballot replaces the bullet’ thesis?

Answer 6

Democracy inhibits political violence through institutionalising political conflict through competitive elections

Question 7

What is the key argument of Paul Collier?

Answer 7

All societies are progressing towards the ‘western democratic ideal’ of a peaceful eastern style democracy

Question 8

Why is Paul Collier’s argument problematic?

Answer 8

1. overlooks violent history of democracy in the west and presumes democracy works in the west without resorting to violence
2. In Collier’s understanding violence is a symptom of democratic failure but often violence acts as politics

Question 9

What does state power rest on?

Answer 9

Ability to control society by legitimate use of violence

Question 10

What is terrorism?

Answer 10

Challenge to state power by sub state groups who use violence illegally to create fear or win sympathy - act and choice of victim are symbolic

Question 11

Why can a state not be a terrorist?

Answer 11

Can act in a terroristic way but intrinsic to our definition of a state is a legitimate use of violence which terrorists don’t have

Question 12

What is a key aim of terrorism?

Answer 12

Draw attention to perceived grievances and resist against unwanted authorities

Question 13

What happens when the terrorist label is applied to violent acts?

Answer 13

Means of delegitimising social movements and political groups - very subjective e.g. Thatcher labelling the ANC typical terrorist organisation and anyone believing in its legitimacy as living in cloud-cuckoo land

Question 14

What are the many concepts of fear?

Answer 14

Frighten people to control their behaviour
Mental apprehension that we might die
Terror = read of death and outrage in wider society which has a sectarian aspect and a political agenda

Question 15

What are the three elements of the ‘terror process’ according to Townshend?

Answer 15

1. Seizing attention
2. Getting the message across
3. Response - fight or flight - either negotiate with enemy state or continue to mount attacks

Question 16

What are the first 3 stages of terrorism?

Answer 16

1. Classical revolutionary terrorism/anarchism in 19 century nationalist groups
2. Interwar right wing - militants trying to take control of newly formed states
3. Anticolonial (switch in focus from elites to police forces and bystanders)

Question 17

What play a role in terrorist recruitment?

Answer 17

Class, religion, ethnicity - used to justify/prepare ordinary people for mass killing (easier to kill as not considering people’s individual characteristics but the stereotypes of whole groups)

Question 18

What can political violence be used to impose?

Answer 18

A culture or ideology on a newly constructed society