The Foundations of Modern Terrorism: State, Society and the Dynamics of Political Violence

308 Pages·2013·4.405 MB·English

by  Professor Martin A. Miller

The Foundations of Modern Terrorism
Why is it that terrorism has become such a central factor in our lives,
despitealltheeffortstoeradicateit?RangingfromearlymodernEuropeto
the contemporary Middle East, Martin A. Miller reveals the foundations
of modern terrorism. He argues that the French Revolution was a water-
shedmoment,asitwasthenthatordinarycitizensfirstclaimedtherightto
govern.Thetraditionalnotionofstatelegitimacywasforeveraltered,and
terrorism became part of a violent contest over control of state power
betweenofficialsingovernmentandinsurgentsinsociety.Inthenineteenth
and twentieth centuries terrorism e volved into a way of seeing the world
andawayoflifeforbothinsurgentsandstatesecurityforces,withthetwo
sides drawn ever closer in their behaviour and tactics. This is a ground-
breaking history of terrorism which, for the first time, integrates the
violence ofgovernments and insurgencies.
Martin A. Miller is Professor in the Department of History and the
DepartmentofSlavicandEurasianStudiesatDukeUniversity.Aspecialist
in Russian revolutionary movements, his earlier books include Freud and
theBolsheviks (1998) and The RussianRevolution (2001).

The Foundations of Modern
Terrorism
State, Society and the Dynamics of Political
Violence

Martin A. Miller
DukeUniversity
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Thefoundationsofmodernterrorism:state,societyandthedynamicsofpolitical
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In memory of Lily and Alfred Feiler

Itisjust that what isjust must be followed. Itisnecessary
that what isstrongest must be followed. Justice without
force isimpotent. Force withoutjusticeis tyrannical...
So one must combine justice and force,and inso doing,
making that which isjust, strong,and what isstrong,just.
Justice issubjecttodispute. Forceisvery recognizableand
indisputable. Thus one cannot give force to justice because
force contradictsjustice, having said that it [justice] was
unjust and that it was itself[force] just. And thus being
unable to make that which isjust, stronger, one hasmade
what is strong, more just.
BLAISEPASCAL(1623–1662),OPUSCULESETPENSEES,editedby
Leon Brunschvicg (Paris: Hachette, 1897), no. 298,p. 470.