Violence and Society

I.   Violence and Society

II.   Types of Political Violence

        A.   State Violence against Individuals or Groups

        B.   Individual Violence against an Individual

        C.   Group Violence Against an Individual

                1.   Terrorism
                       a.  Publicity
                       b.  Psychological Impact
                       c.  Location

        D.   Group Violence against a Group

                1.   Nation-based violence
                2.   class conflict

        E.   Individual or Group Violence against the State

                1.   Riot and rebellion
                2.   Separatist violence
                3.   Coup
                4.   Revolution:   4 strategies
                        a.   terrorism
                        b.   revolution from above
                        c.   guerilla war
                        d.   "Democratic" revolution

III.   Evaluating Political Violence: Means and Ends
        Is violence always bad?
        Can violence be good?

Thought questions:

1. Are the means of political violence unacceptable under all circumstances?

2. If you answered no, could an outcome emerge from the use of political violence that is so preferable to the existing situation that establishing the precedent of using political violence is justifiable?

3. If you answered yes to question 2, what specific circumstances would be necessary to justify the resort to political violence?