Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2006, Page 34
Terminological Clarifications
While some authors and commentators use the terms ‗terror‘ and ‗terrorism‘ synonymously,
others differentiate those terms in the sense that ‗terror‘ refers to the use of terrorist means
―from above,‖ so to say, deriving from the political power structures themselves, whereas
the term ‗terrorism‘ is related to politically motivated violence ―from below.‖
Following these etymological lines, terror can be defined as ―the usage of the domain of
intimidation by the powerful‖ while terrorism can be seen as ―the counterfeiting and practice
of methods of terror by those—for the time being still—‗powerless, despised and desperate‘
who believe not to be taken seriously other than when resorting to terrorist violence.‖[3]
Both terror and terrorism demonstrate pronounced indifference toward the value of human
life, imitate each other in their methods, and—in many cases—are even mutually dependent
upon each other. In the past, for example, dictatorial systems have repeatedly tried to sell
violations of human rights and brutal suppression of individual freedom as inevitable
measures to uphold internal security and national stability.
Terror (State Terrorism) as an Instrument “from Above”
As a historically institutionalized system, terror reached one of its early peaks with the
Jacobin (Terror-) Regime in France near the end of the eighteenth century. The leader of
the French Revolution, Maximilien Robespierre himself, designated the terror applied by the
regime as ―virtuous‖ and emphasized: ―Terror is nothing else but justice, immediate,
unrelenting und unbending justice thus terror is a manifestation of virtue.‖[4]
By the end of the revolutionary period, the ―terror of revolution‖ is frequently found as a
form of violence that, to quote Trotsky, ―reduces all contradictions down to the sole
alternative: Life or death.‖[5] There are, therefore, justifiable reasons to understand and
use the terms terror and terrorism synonymously—not the least of which is that the
terrorism of the National Socialists during the Weimar Republic became a forerunner and, in
fact, was the preparation for the terror of the Third Reich.
Terrorism as an Instrument “from below”
As already mentioned, the term terrorism refers to some kind of politically motivated threat
and application of violence that leads repeatedly, especially in recent times, to severe
disregard of the basic laws of humanity. It seems as though the arbitrary use of terrorist
violence so prominent today does not discern the difference between protected persons or
proscribed ammunitions. In the recent past, therefore, some prominent politicians have
designated the fight against terrorism literally as ―war.‖ In this context, both scientists and
security experts (of different national background) warn against the rise of new, ever more
radical forms of terrorism.
Terrorists want to put pressure on the broad public by spreading fear and uncertainty until
those in power—in the medium or long term—give in to the ideological and political claims
of the perpetrators. Contemporary terrorism particularly fails to show any respect for age,
sex, or descent of the indiscriminately picked victims of their attacks.
Anarchical terrorism as well as political regime terror utilizes the application of violence for
the purpose of spreading fear and intimidation in pursuing either nationalist or revolutionary
goals. Whereas, on the one hand, national terrorism is aiming at getting rid of
heteronymous governance, or attaining national independence or autonomy by way of
illegal use of force, revolutionary terrorism, on the other hand, intends either to bring down
a certain regime or wants to bring about a radical change in the existing political and
societal order.
Terminological Clarifications
While some authors and commentators use the terms ‗terror‘ and ‗terrorism‘ synonymously,
others differentiate those terms in the sense that ‗terror‘ refers to the use of terrorist means
―from above,‖ so to say, deriving from the political power structures themselves, whereas
the term ‗terrorism‘ is related to politically motivated violence ―from below.‖
Following these etymological lines, terror can be defined as ―the usage of the domain of
intimidation by the powerful‖ while terrorism can be seen as ―the counterfeiting and practice
of methods of terror by those—for the time being still—‗powerless, despised and desperate‘
who believe not to be taken seriously other than when resorting to terrorist violence.‖[3]
Both terror and terrorism demonstrate pronounced indifference toward the value of human
life, imitate each other in their methods, and—in many cases—are even mutually dependent
upon each other. In the past, for example, dictatorial systems have repeatedly tried to sell
violations of human rights and brutal suppression of individual freedom as inevitable
measures to uphold internal security and national stability.
Terror (State Terrorism) as an Instrument “from Above”
As a historically institutionalized system, terror reached one of its early peaks with the
Jacobin (Terror-) Regime in France near the end of the eighteenth century. The leader of
the French Revolution, Maximilien Robespierre himself, designated the terror applied by the
regime as ―virtuous‖ and emphasized: ―Terror is nothing else but justice, immediate,
unrelenting und unbending justice thus terror is a manifestation of virtue.‖[4]
By the end of the revolutionary period, the ―terror of revolution‖ is frequently found as a
form of violence that, to quote Trotsky, ―reduces all contradictions down to the sole
alternative: Life or death.‖[5] There are, therefore, justifiable reasons to understand and
use the terms terror and terrorism synonymously—not the least of which is that the
terrorism of the National Socialists during the Weimar Republic became a forerunner and, in
fact, was the preparation for the terror of the Third Reich.
Terrorism as an Instrument “from below”
As already mentioned, the term terrorism refers to some kind of politically motivated threat
and application of violence that leads repeatedly, especially in recent times, to severe
disregard of the basic laws of humanity. It seems as though the arbitrary use of terrorist
violence so prominent today does not discern the difference between protected persons or
proscribed ammunitions. In the recent past, therefore, some prominent politicians have
designated the fight against terrorism literally as ―war.‖ In this context, both scientists and
security experts (of different national background) warn against the rise of new, ever more
radical forms of terrorism.
Terrorists want to put pressure on the broad public by spreading fear and uncertainty until
those in power—in the medium or long term—give in to the ideological and political claims
of the perpetrators. Contemporary terrorism particularly fails to show any respect for age,
sex, or descent of the indiscriminately picked victims of their attacks.
Anarchical terrorism as well as political regime terror utilizes the application of violence for
the purpose of spreading fear and intimidation in pursuing either nationalist or revolutionary
goals. Whereas, on the one hand, national terrorism is aiming at getting rid of
heteronymous governance, or attaining national independence or autonomy by way of
illegal use of force, revolutionary terrorism, on the other hand, intends either to bring down
a certain regime or wants to bring about a radical change in the existing political and
societal order.
