What's the root cause of terror -- poverty, ignorance or tyranny?

[december]

A study says the root cause of terror is tyranny.

The economists Alan B. Krueger and Jitka Maleckova review the empirical evidence for the “poverty is the root cause of terrorism” thesis …

Instead of viewing terrorism as a response - either direct or indirect - to poverty or ignorance, we suggest that it is more accurately viewed as a response to political conditions and longstanding feelings of indignity and frustration that have little to do with economic circumstances. We suspect that is why international terrorist acts are more likely to be committed by people who grew up under repressive political regimes.

The study itself is here,

What do you think?

[Kimstu]

We suspect that is why international terrorist acts are more likely to be committed by people who grew up under repressive political regimes.

The study itself seems actually much less supportive of sweeping claims about the “root cause” of terror than this one quote suggests. The basic finding seems to be simply that support for terrorist activity in a particular society is not noticeably correlated to poverty or lack of education according to the norms of that society.

I agree that it is too facile to finger “poverty” or “ignorance” as the “root cause” of terrorism. But I don’t think we will improve our understanding of terrorism by facilely fingering “tyranny” as the “root cause” of it instead. The whole issue is just a lot more complicated than that.

To consider just a couple of questions raised by the linked study:

• The authors conclude that “international terrorist acts are more likely to be committed by people who grew up under repressive political regimes.” But one of the examples of non-poor, non-ignorant terrorists mentioned in their study is the “Israeli Jews” who “in the late 1970s and early 1980s” conducted “numerous violent attacks against Palestinians […] in the West Bank and Gaza Strip”. Had those Israeli terrorists grown up under a “repressive political regime”? Is “tyranny” an adequate explanation of their acts?

• The authors also describe hate crimes as “a close cousin to terrorism” and point out that “the incidence of hate crimes [… in the US] bears little relation to economic conditions.” But does it bear any closer relation to political repression? Did these American “hate criminals”, or for that matter full-blown American terrorists like Timothy McVeigh, “grow up under a repressive political regime”? Were they just reacting to “tyranny”?

The authors have left themselves a sort of “out” by applying their hypothesis only to international terrorists, but I think that’s a rather feeble distinction. Clearly, there is quite a bit of terrorism and of its “cousin” hate crime that takes place in free societies as well, so evidently we cannot look to “tyranny” or “repressive regimes” as an easy explanation for the “root cause” of terrorism.

[DSeid]

Science March 7 2003 discussed that and other research. They note that* loss of status* even if still higher than mean, was a motivating factor as well. They continue the analysis though and more so they see a role for “fictive kin” (bolding mine)

Although humiliation and despair may help account for susceptibility to martyrdom in some situations, this is neither a complete explanation nor one applicable to other circumstances. Studies by psychologist Ariel Merari point to the importance of institutions in suicide terrorism (28). His team interviewed 32 of 34 bomber families in Palestine/Israel (before 1998), surviving attackers, and captured recruiters. Suicide terrorists apparently span their population’s normal distribution in terms of education, socioeconomic status, and personality type (introvert vs. extrovert). Mean age for bombers was early twenties. Almost all were unmarried and expressed religious belief before recruitment (but no more than did the general population).
Except for being young, unattached males, suicide bombers differ from members of violent racist organizations with whom they are often compared (29). Overall, suicide terrorists exhibit no socially dysfunctional attributes (fatherless, friendless, or jobless) or suicidal symptoms. <snip> Merari attributes primary responsibility for attacks to recruiting organizations, which enlist prospective candidates from this youthful and relatively unattached population. Charismatic trainers then intensely cultivate mutual commitment to die within small cells of three to six members. The final step before a martyrdom operation is a formal social contract, usually in the form of a video testament.

From 1996 to 1999 Nasra Hassan, a Pakistani relief worker, interviewed nearly 250 Palestinian recruiters and trainers, failed suicide bombers, and relatives of deceased bombers. Bombers were men aged 18 to 38: “None were uneducated, desperately poor, simple-minded, or depressed. … They all seemed to be entirely normal members of their families” (30). Yet “all were deeply religious,” believing their actions “sanctioned by the divinely revealed religion of Islam.” Leaders of sponsoring organizations complained, “Our biggest problem is the hordes of young men who beat on our doors.”

Psychologist Brian Barber surveyed 900 Moslem adolescents during Gaza’s first Intifada (1987-1993) (31). Results show high levels of participation in and victimization from violence. For males, 81% reported throwing stones, 66% suffered physical assault, and 63% were shot at (versus 51, 38, and 20% for females). Involvement in violence was not strongly correlated with depression or antisocial behavior. Adolescents most involved displayed strong individual pride and social cohesion. This was reflected in activities: for males, 87% delivered supplies to activists, 83% visited martyred families, and 71% tended the wounded (57, 46, and 37% for females). A follow-up during the second Intifada (2000-2002) indicates that those still unmarried act in ways considered personally more dangerous but socially more meaningful. Increasingly, many view martyr acts as most meaningful. By summer 2002, 70 to 80% of Palestinians endorsed martyr operations (32).

Previously, recruiters scouted mosques, schools, and refugee camps for candidates deemed susceptible to intense religious indoctrination and logistical training. During the second Intifada, there has been a surfeit of volunteers and increasing involvement of secular organizations (allowing women). The frequency and violence of suicide attacks have escalated (more bombings since February 2002 than during 1993-2000); planning has been less painstaking. Despite these changes, there is little to indicate overall change in bomber profiles (mostly unmarried, average socioeconomic status, moderately religious) (28, 30).

In contrast to Palestinians, surveys with a control group of Bosnian Moslem adolescents from the same time period reveal markedly weaker expressions of self-esteem, hope for the future, and prosocial behavior (30). A key difference is that Palestinians routinely invoke religion to invest personal trauma with proactive social meaning that takes injury as a badge of honor. Bosnian Moslems typically report not considering religious affiliation a significant part of personal or collective identity until seemingly arbitrary violence forced awareness upon them.

Thus, a critical factor determining suicide terrorism behavior is arguably loyalty to intimate cohorts of peers, which recruiting organizations often promote through religious communion (supporting online text on religion’s role) (33). Consider data on 39 recruits to Harkat al-Ansar, a Pakistani-based ally of Al-Qaida. All were unmarried males, most had studied the Quran. All believed that by sacrificing themselves they would help secure the future of their “family” of fictive kin: “Each [martyr] has a special place–among them are brothers, just as there are sons and those even more dear” (34). A Singapore Parliamentary report on 31 captured operatives from Jemaah Islamiyah and other Al-Qaida allies in Southeast Asia underscores the pattern: “These men were not ignorant, destitute or disenfranchised. All 31 had received secular education… . Like many of their counterparts in militant Islamic organizations in the region, they held normal, respectable jobs… . As a group, most of the detainees regarded religion as their most important personal value… secrecy over the true knowledge of jihad, helped create a sense of sharing and empowerment vis-à-vis others.” (35).

They aren’t overt psychopaths. They aren’t poor. They’ve lost what they’ve had and they feel that their cell is family. We are willing to die for our family. Sounds like gangs to me as well.

[adaher]

Hate and xenophobia are the one thing that almost all terrorism has in common. Everything else(political grievances, poverty, etc.) is just further incitements, and often merely excuses. Very few terrorists will admit they kill who they kill simply because they hate them. They hate, then make up justifications for their hate.

[ruadh]

Got a cite for that rather sweeping generalisation, adaher?

[adaher]

I don’t have a cite, no, but can you name one example of terrorism where racism and hate didn’t play a part?

[YourOldBuddy]

Which is it? Hate or Xenophobia?

I might argue that 9/11 was a political statement rather than an act of hate.

You need to refine your theory before asking us to disprove it.

[dal_timgar]

In the book FUTURE SHOCK Alvin Toffler said that people have a limited capacity for change. Technology is forcing faster change in 3rd world countries than the US and Europe had to endure. Plus religion is a force for stagnation and Islam has a traditional antipathy with European Chrisianity.

Plus the US foreign policy has been a mixture of indifference and incompetence for the last 40 years. Social psychological conditions have been created which can’t be controlled.

The funny thing is reading sci-fi like Asimov’s Foundation trilogy and real psych stuff like Vance Packard and THE POWER ELITE one would think this situation could have been avoided.

“To win without fighting is best”

“Know you enemy, know yourself and you will win 100 battles.”

Sun Tzu

Dal Timgar

[ruadh]

*Originally posted by adaher *
**I don’t have a cite, no, but can you name one example of terrorism where racism and hate didn’t play a part? **

Well, that is a rather different proposition. The implication of your initial post was that hate and xenophobia are the primary motivation for terrorism, not that they merely “play a part”.

[jjimm]

adaher, that’s the second time this week I’ve seen you post your opinion as fact, without a cite. Perhaps do a bit of research next time?

Anyway I refer dopers to this GD I posted about a year ago: Harvard study declares ‘humiliation’ root cause of terrorism (which ends, as ever, with my being corrected by ruadh for not having my facts straight about Irish history ;)). Some interesting data in the study.

[ruadh]

Is that a charitable way of saying “here’s another thread ruadh killed”