Terrorism as an Object of Political and Legal Research

Abstract

The problem of terrorism as one of the greatest social dangers
that threatens the development of civilization is considered.
Its typological affinity with other extreme social phenomena is stated.
In particular, resistance to violence brings terrorism closer to
rebellion, revolt, armed insurgency. Terrorism is a form of violence
in which fear is a planned effect, but not a side one. This is the most
important feature that separates terrorism from other criminal forms
of violence.
The purpose of terrorism is the impact on public authorities
(or international community) in order to change state policy in the
interests of certain social forces. Terrorism has its own ideology,
which can be defined as a set of extremely radical ideological guides
that are the theoretical justification of the use of violence in various
ways on an illegitimate basis for achievement of political goals of the
terrorist organization. The extreme, radical views and methods are
peculiar to it (extremism).
There are such types of modern terrorism: religious, political,
informational and psychological, economic, social and domestic,
external, internal, «western», «eastern».
Terrorism often occurs in the conditions of a complication of a
socio-political and economic situation during the periods of crises
and formational shifts. There are many reasons for terrorism.
An essential role in distribution of terrorism is played by such factors
as prevention of a considerable part of society to participation in
political activity by the ruling elite, repressions against opposition
parties, the conflict between traditional and liberal values, loss of
hope for improvement of the financial position and other personal
problems. The low efficiency of functioning of the state apparatus,
corruption, which increases the gap between the authorities and the
population, causes distrust of the population to power and support of
terrorist acts. The rapidly increasing crime activity and
powerlessness of the authorities in fight against it play a similar role.
The desire of representatives of a certain religion to declare their
views, make everyone reckon with them is the most common cause
of the terrorist attacks in modern Europe. The religious type of 

terrorism that goes beyond the local framework is the greatest threat
to mankind nowadays.
The problem of preventing terrorist activity deserves special
attention of researchers. The definition of the underlying causes of
the behavior of terrorists and the creation of a psychological profile of
persons capable of committing terrorist acts, or those who may be
used by terrorist group leaders for such acts is one of the conditions
for success in this case. It is expedient to consider the personality of
a terrorist as a kind of personality of an armed criminal, because of
the social danger of terrorism.
Terrorism is not only criminal, but also military and political
threat. The most important directions of combating this social
phenomenon are as follows: firstly, the creation of mechanisms for
overcoming social contradictions, the achievement of social
compromise; secondly, the cessation of financial support for
terrorism and illegal weapons trafficking; thirdly, it is the opposition to
the formation of individual terrorist. The state and civil society should
unite their efforts in order to minimize the possibility of terrorist acts.