Essay Example on Terrorism: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions

Introduction

Terrorism is an environmental, social, and political issue that has raised the local, global, and national concern (Bhargava, 2006). After the 9/11 attacks in the US, the public and various politicians have attempted outlining the primary causes of terrorism (Onwudiwe, 2018). In 2002, the U.S. President Gorge Bush suggested that there exist a vicious circle of state failure, disenfranchisement, and terror that causes terror (Onwudiwe, 2018). The reason for his argument is that persistent oppression and poverty can lead to despair and hopelessness. Besides, failed states do also harbor terror.

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However, the public and media have been highly receptive about their lines of arguments that associate terrorism to political and socio-economic underdevelopment of some nations (Onwudiwe, 2018). Moreover, policy measures have been suggested to be the primary method to reduce terrorism in the world. These policies include reducing underdevelopment like minimizing political instability and socio-economic strains (Onwudiwe, 2018).

Besides, Gerhard Schroder, who was a German Chancellor suggested that to identify the primary causes of insecurity and terrorism, governments should ensure material, cultural and social security (Onwudiwe, 2018). Talking about the root causes of terrorism and coming up with a sound policy are essential in that terrorism is expensive and disastrous to the affected nations. Although the immediate costs of terrorism can be marginal, it can indirectly and directly affect the economic and political costs of a country (Onwudiwe, 2018). Additionally, terrorism may minimize the stability of various governments, international trade, and cash flow within a country (Onwudiwe, 2018). Thus, the primary causes of terrorism include political instability, cultural and identity clash, institutional and political order, demographic and socio-economic strains, economic deprivation, global economic and political order, and contagion because they create grievances that terrorist groups capitalize on.

Explaining Terrorism

There does not exist an accepted global definition of terrorism. It is primarily outlined as the deliberate application of intimidation and violence directed to a large group of people to coerce them to concede to ideologically or politically motivated wants (Gibbs, 2018). The primary short-term goals of terrorism include acquiring media and public attention, destabilizing the political instability of a country, and damaging a country's economy (Gibbs, 2018). On the other hand, the long-term aims of terrorism include acquiring wealth, influence, and redistribution of power (Gibbs, 2018).

Terrorist groups are supposed to have goals that cannot be enforced in current political procedures. These terrorist behaviors include hostage-taking and assassinations. Terrorists apply these behaviors to achieve their strategic aims, making the use of violence as their primary means to achieve their aims (Gibbs, 2018). Moreover, terrorists are supposed to outline particular characteristics that allow them to conduct terrorist actions. Additionally, group dynamics, psychological factors, and group leaders also motivate terrorist behaviors (Gibbs, 2018). After an attack that occurred in El Paso, TX, President Donald Trump linked terrorism to insanity and irrationality. Nevertheless, this argument is vague.

Causes of Terrorism

Contagion

Contagion is the first cause of terrorism. It states terrorism does possess a strong energizing nature associated with both space and time (Fahmy, 2006). Temporal contagion outlines that past terrorism actions motivate new actions within a nation. Moreover, it would be more beneficial for a terrorist group to run these campaigns because it would benefit them; for example, these groups will gain media attention. Secondly, spatial contagion outlines that if one nation is affected by terrorism, it will directly or indirectly affect its neighbors (Fahmy, 2006). Besides, terrorist actions in one nation may facilitate imitational behaviors in other nations.

Besides, other terrorist groups may seek for finances and experience from other existing terrorist groups (Fahmy, 2006). The reason is terrorist groups reduce their costs of operations if they work together. For example, these organizations share weapons and know-how. They also raise their pay-off through joint terrorist activities (Fahmy, 2006). Thus, spatial and temporal proximity is a cause of terrorism in that it affects the cost-benefits views of terrorism in a manner that promote the rise of violence and the probability of a particular country being targeted.

Institutional and Political Order

The institutional and political order can also be argued as the cause of terrorism in various countries. There exist an ongoing debate regarding whether a political system can deal with terrorism (Fahmy, 2006). Besides, the democratic regime under President Obama provided non-violent measures to combat terrorism globally. However, his action reduces terrorism production in host countries but increases the chances of terrorist attacks because it would have interfered with the group.

Nevertheless, autocratic governments can make use of the advantage of their repression capability that may be at that time facilitates grievances associated with political dissatisfaction (Fahmy, 2006). Lack of political openness may be the origin of terrorist actions, but it would reduce the chances of terrorist actions. In summary, there is no open agreement regarding which political organization in the USA can counter-terrorism most effectively (Fahmy, 2006). Some scholars suggest that partial democracies are most likely to be affected by terrorism in that they cannot take advantage of the democratic regime that enforces a non-linear relationship between terrorism and political institutions.

Political Instability and Transformation

Political instability and transformation are also outlined as the primary causes of terrorism. The primary notion, in this case, is that political transformation may facilitate the existence of a political vacuum that terrorist organizations apply to push and express their agendas (Fahmy, 2006). These vacuums are more attractive in that radical groups would be more probable to an unstable or weak government making their terrorist actions to be less costly practices (Fahmy, 2006). Besides, a person may find it more beneficial to support or join a terrorist group because there exist a few non-violent measures (indicating the low cost of violence opportunities) but they are paid highly due to their associations (Fahmy, 2006).

Failed or unstable regimes can even as facilitators of global terrorism. These factors are domestic instability like civil wars. For example, terrorist actions in Somalia began by civil war but have developed to be a global threat (Fahmy, 2006). This action has enabled people to acquire experiences in violence that they have applied for international campaigns promoting terrorist activities. In summary, political instability and transformation can primarily amplify terrorist actions where this procedure affects both the target decisions of terrorism and terrorist actions (Fahmy, 2006).

Cultural and Identity Clash

According to Fahmy (2006), the author outlines that cultural and identity clash is also a primary cause of terrorism. For example, when people exhibit various identities such as ethnic, cultural, racial, and religious differences, these actions may facilitate more conflicts within a nation or globally (Fahmy, 2006). In the U.S., the media claims that White Supremacy is the main cause of domestic terrorism. The reason is the whites feel that people with color are inferior to them and should be extinguished (Fahmy, 2006). A similar scenario can also be seen from the religious battle between Islamic groups and the West. Terrorist groups found it less costly and more effective to align themselves with a particular identity (Fahmy, 2006). This action holds more when they build their actions and activities relying on identity associated notions that focus on the supremacy of their particular identity. For example, the Muslims believe that Islamic is the only true faith and their activities are associated with fighting a holy war.

However, such a global notion does away with moral constraints and supports a group's cohesion making terrorist actions more effective and less costly (Fahmy, 2006). The ideal conflict between global notions became manifested in real politics where terrorist groups with dissimilar identities pursue various policies (Fahmy, 2006). These actions or activities may be outlined in rent-seeking and other forms of political and socio-economic interactions between various groups with dissimilar identities. Terrorism is always applied by inferior groups not only as a method to make their world views to be heard also to change the outcomes in their favor (Fahmy, 2006). Identity does facilitate or create a specific bond; for example, terrorist financing and recruitment support. When any terrorist group succeeds with their action, they are paid highly because they shall enforce their claim making the group achieve a milestone.

Globalization

Globalization may also be a factor facilitating terrorism. The reason is that terrorist groups can be driven by global aspects that are global (Schwartz, Dunkel, & Waterman, 2009). Global integration that is usually approximated by openness in trade, foreign policies, and alliance structure can play a vital part coming up with resistance and grievances against globalization (Schwartz, Dunkel, & Waterman, 2009). Unsatisfied and traditionalist sections of society can apply violence to counter any form of foreign dominance like the Western supremacy and other forms of global modernization.

In people are being influenced by any existing global order that is seen to be unfair, it would be easier for terrorist organizations to capitalize in such a scenario by finding support from this group through relying on these grievances (Schwartz, Dunkel, & Waterman, 2009). Nevertheless, terrorists primary targets can be selected to align with the existing universal order, particularly is one group consider this order to be unjust. For example, a disagreement between a group and the government can be exploited by any foreign government.

Besides, terrorist activities can also be applied as a tool of foreign policy to counter the antagonistic public notion. For example, terrorist organizations capitalized on the Cold War (Schwartz, Dunkel, & Waterman, 2009). Nevertheless, economic and political globalization does not automatically promote terrorism. For example, when political integration improves the global power and wealth distribution by a way of economic integration or cooperation trough trade gains to the poor nations, it may minimize terrorist actions because these grievances are minimized (Schwartz, Dunkel, & Waterman, 2009).

Economic Deprivation

Some authors outlined that terrorist actions are originated from economic deprivation. For example, poverty and inequality in the sharing of government and natural resources promote the notion of relative deprivation (Coccia, 2018). In this case, violence and terrorist attacks are generated and produced when there exists a discrepancy between people who think they are entitled to some benefits that are being distributed through the economic distributive procedure (Coccia, 2018).

Inadequate structural economic processes make individuals more frustrated. This action would increase terrorist action and violence (Coccia, 2018). This correlation between terrorism and economic deprivation would be considered as the primary cause of terrorism in most countries in the Mild-East (Coccia, 2018). For example, terrorist organizations do find it easier and less cos...