Unit 4: Assasinations

Question 1

Causes of assassinations

Answer 1

1) Restrictions on political competition and strong polarization and fragmentation.
2) Lack of consensual political ethos and homogenous populations
3) Domestic violence during election periods.
4) Territorial fragmentation of a country
5)

Question 2

Facilitators of assassinations:

Answer 2

1) Polities must be susceptible to assassinations
2) Non-democratic political environments

Question 3

Targets of assasinations:

Answer 3

1) Heads of state
2) Lower- ranking political figures
3) Legislators - acts of protection against an existing political order
4) Vice head of states
5) Opposition leaders

Question 4

Implication of assassinations

Question 5

Assassination of heads of state:

Answer 5

1) Decline in the democratic nature of a polity
2) Increase in domestic violence
3) Instability and economic prosperity

Question 6

Legislators:

Answer 6

1) Public unrest (anti-government demonstrations)
2) Decline in legitimacy of the government.

Question 7

Opposition leaders:

Answer 7

1) Increase overall unrest and domestic violence

Question 8

Role of policy makers

Answer 8

1) Addressing political grievances
2) Stable and regulated succession mechanisms
3) Stable routines and protocols, and creation of institutions
4) Safety of political and opposition leaders

Question 9

Law enforcers

Answer 9

1) Most assassins previously involved in criminal activities
2) Veterans may be preferred to perform an assassination