terrorism

terrorism Essay Examples

Published: Friday 25th of January 2013

What Do You Need to Know When Writing a Terrorism Essay?

Introduction

Terrorism is something which affects every minute of our lives. It’s quite difficult to tell where or when it will strike. It’s also as a result of various causes, some religious or political, and others which are only meant to spread hatred. So, when did Terrorism start? Well, its roots go back to 1007 AD. It’s believed that the father of terrorism is Hassan ben Sabbah. He was an Ismaili Muslim, born in Qom and opposed the beliefs of other Islamic groups. His actions triggered a new trend of people using terrorist groups to air their specific problems. Of course, the tactics and motives of terrorism keep adapting and evolving as seen through the rule of Lenin and Stalin in the Russia, and Mao Tse-Tung of China. Besides, a majority of people feel that the Hitler’s reign was full of high cases of terrorism. When you think about it carefully, it makes sense. So, here’s what terrorism is all about.

Definition of Terrorism

As you research through the definition of terrorism, you’ll notice one universal meaning. Most learning resources will tell you that it’s the act of intimidating and putting someone through intense violence to achieve a given religious or political motive. Similarly, a terrorist is the person who employs terror as his or her political weapon. Understanding this definition will help you get a clear picture of the character traits of leaders such as Hitler of Germany. He merely wanted to have a society that only fits his tastes and agenda.

Commonly Asked Questions about Terrorism

We all fear and dread cases of terrorism because of various reasons. However, one of the most crucial factors is the harmful effects it adds to our generation. It separates parents from their children and destroys the rule of law and morals of the society. But, can we fully understand this concept? Let us consider some of the commonly asked questions:
Can native citizens commit terrorism?
From the Oklahoma City Bombing, we learned that even our citizens could lead acts of terror. Here, Timothy McVeigh, out of his political agenda, saw if feet to destroy the precious lives of innocent Americans carrying on with their day’s business. However, the first act of terror ever recorded was back in 1622, and was led by the Indians. They massacred the residents of Jamestown in a brutal and unforgiving manner.
Does Terrorism only Affect The Middle East?
The only answer to this question is NO! It’s important to understand that contrary to what most people think, terrorism is not only a Middle Eastern problem but also a universal issue. There’s no such thing as a “Typical Terrorist,” but they are still stereotyped in different ways. For instance, many people feel that terrorists living in the Middle East practice Islam, which is also false. Just because someone is living in one part of the world doesn’t mean that he or she is a terrorist. In any case, it could even be your neighbor, relative or friend.
How do Governments cause Terrorism?
States may decide to use terrorism even against their citizens and other foreign nations for different reasons. A good example is one nation trying to enforce its message of politics, ideology, and religion on its people or other countries. Governments may also use terrorism to remove cases of dissent in its jurisdiction. There are even situations where various governments have used terror to eliminate stable political systems. Such is because they fear that these entities may keep growing and eventually get embraced by the citizens. Another reason is using terror to control, harass, and remove radical minorities in the political or religious sector. Other factors that cause governments to use terrorism include:
  • Continued conflict with foreign enemies,
  • For business purposes where it feels it can prosper economically by destroying the welfare of other nations and sadly, even its citizens.
What’s the difference between individual and group terrorism?
An individual terrorist act differs significantly from how the government or a group would use terror. All of them carry the same motivation and ideology. Well, they only want to create violent acts for political goals. Despite this, there are separate factors which cause an individual to practice terrorism:
  • Minorities who are politically and economically oppressed. Most of them have few job opportunities!
  • Increase in the levels of inflation and unemployment result in citizens turning to terror. In doing so, they hope to force better workforce conditions and economic improvement.
How should we combat Terrorism?
It’s necessary that we identify and investigate the different factors which are causing this awful phenomenon. Such means that we have to go through historical, ideological, socio-political and economic factors. With the careful analysis and study of these issues, solving this vast and universal problem is practically impossible. On top of that, it’s critical to have an agreed definition of “terrorism,” so that we can start dealing with the practical and real actions to fight cases of terror.

Conclusion

If you could go back to the historical development and rise of terrorism, you’ll discover that it’s become an integral social process. Interestingly, it goes against our ethics and morals yet for some reason; it was always approved and justified by the society. People who are not pleased with a current political, religious or economic trend will always want to use violent acts in defending their ideas. However, we should discourage such acts of anger and hostility in our community. Of course, the best way is to come up with methods of combating, controlling and preventing terrorism!