THE CONCEPT OF TERRORISM

DEFINITION
Terrorism is the calculated use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population
and thereby to bring about a particular political objective. There are various different
definitions of terrorism, with no universal agreement about it.
Terrorism has been practiced by political organizations with both rightist and leftist
objectives, by nationalistic and religious groups, by revolutionaries, and even by state
institutions. The most common causes or roots of terrorism include civilizations or culture
clashes, globalization, or religion.

HISTORY
Terror has been practiced by state and non-state actors throughout history and throughout
the world. Depending on how broadly the term is defined, the roots and practice of terrorism
can be traced at least to the 1st century AD. The history of modern terrorism began with the
French revolution and has evolved ever since. It was first coined in the 1790s to refer and
describe the actions of the Jacobin Club during the "Reign of Terror" in the French
Revolution. While the terms "terrorist" and "terrorism" originated during the French
Revolution it gained mainstream popularity in the 1970s during the conflicts of Northern
Ireland, the Basque Country and Palestine. The increased use of suicide attacks from the
1980s onwards was symbolized by the September 11 attacks in New York City and
Washington, D.C. in 2001 which was led by Al-Qaeda.

CAUSES OF TERRORISM
Terrorists are not all after the same thing. Terrorists often justify their acts on the basis of
perceived social, economic and political unfairness. Or they take inspiration from religious
beliefs or spiritual principles. Many forms of terrorism were inspired by warfare between
races, struggles between the rich and poor or battles between political outcasts and elites.

TYPES OF TERRORISM
Not only are the aims, members, beliefs, and resources of groups engaged in terrorism
extremely diverse, but so are the political contexts of their campaigns.
One way the typology of terrorism may be defined:
Political terrorism –

 State-Sponsored terrorism, which consists of terrorist acts on a state or government

by a state or government.
 Dissent terrorism, which are terrorist groups which have rebelled against their
government.
 Terrorists and the Left and Right, which are groups rooted in political ideology.
 Religious terrorism, which are terrorist groups which are extremely religiously
motivated.

Criminal terrorism, which are terrorists acts used to aid in crime and criminal profit.

Pathological terrorism, is the use of terrorism by individuals who utilize such strategies for the
sheer joy of terrorizing others. Pathological terrorists often operate alone rather in groups,
and lack a political goal (e.g. School Shooting, etc.)
VARIOUS COUNTER MEASURES TAKEN AGAINST TERRORISM
a) Temporary border controls
b) Securing external borders
c) Stopping foreign terrorist fighters
d) Making use of air passenger data
e) Stepping up the exchange of information
f) Cutting the financing of terrorism
g) Reducing access to dangerous weapons
h) Preventing radicalization

EXTRA
IMPACT OF TERRORISM IN INDIA
When we look at a developing country like India, it is all the more harmful. Firstly, it
creates a state of panic amongst the citizens. The bomb blasts or firing impacts the
mental health of people. This causes the untimely death of various citizens or leaves
them handicapped. The anxiety and fear one has to live in restrict their way of living
to a great extent. Moreover, terrorism has a major impact on the tourism industry. As
tourists avoid visiting places that are vulnerable to terrorist attacks, the tourism
industry faces a blow. India is a country that earns a lot of its revenue from tourism.
When these attacks happen, they cause fear amongst the tourists as well.
Furthermore, terrorist attacks create a sense of doubt in the foreign investors of India.
After all, who would want to invest in a country prone to terrorism? They avoid the risk
and instead opt for safer alternatives. This causes a huge blow to the business of India
depending on them. Thus, it damages the economy. As terrorist attacks cause loss of
life and property, the replenishment takes up a lot of capital. It also results in people
leaving the country to settle abroad for a safer environment. India has had some of the
most dangerous terrorist attacks. The major ones include the one on Hotel Taj known
as the 26/11 attack. The Mumbai serial bomb blasts were also very deadly where more
than 1,000 people were injured. Moreover, the Indian Parliament attack was also quite
dangerous.

SOURCES
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism
2. https://www.britannica.com/topic/terrorism
3. https://theconversation.com/what-is-terrorism-what-do-terrorists-want-
78228#:~:text=Many%20forms%20of%20terrorism%20were,Army%20or%20Palestine
%20Liberation%20Organization.
4. https://www.hannover-re.com/1133518/political-violence-and-terrorism-2020.pdf
5. https://ekuonline.eku.edu/homeland-security/definition-history-and-types-terrorism