BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

WORK IN COMMON : DEMOCRACIES AND OPPOSITION TO TERRORISM

Author: Christopher C. Harmon

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/BIISSj2002v23n3A4

ABSTRACT

The paper argues that there is in Bin Laden's work a certain superficial novelty. But below the surface are the familiar twisted arguments and misplaced moralism of a long line of similar incitements to killing. In this regard, the paper focuses on the ideology of the anarchists of the late 19'" century and the Soviet Communists of the early 20'" century, Latin American bomb-throwers of the 1960s, Italian Red Brigadists of the 1970s and neo-fascists of a few years later. All these claimed to speak for neglected majorities; all have had their bloody day; all have since passed on. Clearly, politicized religion -one major current concern -has much company in the present and the past of terrorism. The paper further argues that there is a corrosive effect on the democracy that does not meet its foreign or internal challenges from violent extremists.