The Definition and Threat of Terrorism

Provide a comprehensive definition of terrorism, including the goals

terrorism seeks to achieve. Explain the unique threat terrorism
poses to Western Civilization, and explain how you think terrorism
is similar to or different from communism and fascism.
The threat of terrorism is attained by an initial definition of the potential and
actual threat. Frequently misunderstood to imply an act of war, the international law
perspective provides that for war to occur two states or parties must have active
involvement of their military against each other. Nonetheless, various agencies and
authors have over the years provided differing meaning as to the definition of terrorism
and the respective taxonomy that gives rise to it (Falk & Morgenstern, 2009, p. 4).
Given the previous attempt in examining the taxonomy of terrorism, it is apparent
that the act in itself is first and foremost deliberate and calculated. This form of precision,
provides thus the basis of what the act in itself attempts to achieve, which is to inculcate
fear, and an obvious attempt to pursue goals of various nature, and mostly contentious
and disruptive of societal norms. Given the various forms and manner in which terrorism
occurs, most prevalent of seven elements used to define it are the use of violence and the
presence of a political motivation behind such acts. Herein, a unique threat that terrorism
poses to Western civilization is the distortion of normal societal functioning and the
disruptions of socio-political elements (Falk & Morgenstern, 2009 Pp.6-7).
In light of communism and fascism, the former looks at societal organization
from an economic perspective wherein all economic gains are centrally controlled via a
totalitarian leader or state. Fascism on the other hand tends to be a little vague, but still

totalitarian in the aspect that value is defined only within the state, whereas the state
technically controls and regulates all aspects of how its citizens operate (Furet &Nolte,
2004). With these views of communism and fascism, similarities with terrorism are
derived from the aspect of a single unit of total control, especially from a socio-political
perspective. On the contrary, unlike terrorism whose main agenda is usually instilling fear
via the use of force, the difference is that terrorism is usually encompasses brutal force
and the widespread use of fear, with socialism and fascism seeking control from a total
good perspective.

Reference
Falk, O. & Morgenstern, H. (Eds) (2009). Suicide Terror: Understanding and
Confronting the Threat. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Furet, F. & Nolte, E. (2004). Fascism and Communism. Lincoln,NE : University of
Nebraska Press.