POL3 - Essay 5, “Is political violence ever justified” PDF

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POL3-Essay5,“ I spol i t i calvi ol enceeverj ust i fied?” Wi l l Poppl ewel l

Pol i t i calv i ol encemani f es t si nmanyf or ms ,f r om i nc ar c er at i ont owar ,andonemi ght bet empt edt oshyawayf r om anal y s i ngt hephenomenonasawhol eduet oi t sex t ens i v e nat ur e.Howev er ,Ti l l yar guest hatt hepar t i c ul armani f es t at i onofpol i t i c alv i ol encet hatwe c ons i derdoesnotmat t er ,f ornomat t ert hef or m ofv i ol enc e,“ gov er nment sst andoutf r om ot heror gani sat i onsbyt hei rt endenc yt omonopol i s et hec oncent r at edmeansofvi ol ence” ( Ti l l y ,1985,p.171) .Thatsai d,t hi ses s ayi snotdi r ec t l yaboutt heent i r es pect r um ofpol i t i c alv i ol ence;f orex ampl eIwi l lnotaddr es st hemani f es t at i onsofJus tWarort er r or i s m, whi c hbot hent ai ls er i ousdebat esov erl egi t i mac y ,f ort hes ear ei ndependentdebat es .I n par t i c ul ar ,Iwi l lbecons i der i ngdomes t i cpol i t i c alv i ol enc e,t hati sf or ceus edbyt hest at e wi t hi ni t sown bor der s ,whi c h mani f es t spr i mar i l yi ns t at e maki ng and pr ot ect i on ( Ti l l y , 1990,p.71) .Iwi l lfi r s tpr esentt hear gumentt hatpol i t i c alv i ol enc ei sr equi r edt opr eser v e s oci alcohes i on,andpr ot ectas t at e’ sc i t i z ensbot hext er nal l yandi nt er nal l y .ThenIshal l addr essBl ai neyand I nay at ul l ah’ sant hr opol ogi calc ount erar gument ,whi c hr ej ect st he pr emi set hatwer equi r esoci aldi s r upt i ont obes uppr es s ed( Bl aneyandI nay at ul l ah,2000, p.45) .Iwi l lr es pondt ot hi si nt ur nwi t hTi l l yandWeber ’ sar gumentt hatpol i t i c alv i ol enc ei s i nt r i ns i ci nt henat ur eoft hes t at ei t s el f ,andi sass uc hr equi r edt oenabl eanyf or m ofpol i t i c all i f e( Ti l l y ,1985,p.173;Weber ,1919,p.311) .Fi nal l y ,Iwi l lcons i ders omei mpl i cat i ons r ai s edbyt hedebat eov erwhet herpol i t i c alv i ol enc ec anev erbej us t i fi ed,andt hei nher ent l ypr obl emat i cnat ur eofanyv i ol ence,whi chi nc l udeWeber ’ sac c ountofhowpol i t i c alv i ol enc emustbec onduct edbyonl yt hemos tc ompet entl eader s( Weber ,1919,p.368) .

Fr om asear l yasHobbes ,Gr ot i us ,Des car t es ,and manymor e,pol i t i c alphi l os opher shav ear guedt hatac ent r al i s edcont r olofpol i t i c alv i ol encei snec es s ar yt oc r eat et he c onf or mi t yandc ul t ur alhomogenei t yr equi r edf ors oci alc ohes i oni nas t at e( Bl aneyandI nay at ul l ah,2000,p.32) .Par t l yi nf or medbypol i t i c alev ent ss uc hast heThi r t yYear sWar , whi c ht heybl ameduponc onfl i c t sov ers ov er ei gnt y ,s uc ht hi nk er sar guedt hatst at esr equi r edpol i t i c alv i ol encei nor dert opr ev entt hedes centi nt oanar c hy( Bl aneyandI nay at ul l ah,2000,p.32) .I mpl i c i ti nt hi sr eas oni ngi st hear gumentt hatt henat i onandt hes t at edo not ,i nt hems el v es ,nec es sar i l yhav et hepol i t i c alcohes i ont os ur v i v e,butwhenbr oughtt oget heri na‘ nat i ons t at e’t hr oughc ent r al i s edcont r oloff or cet heys t andabet t erc hanc e.

Whi l s tt hi si sahi ghl yhi s t or i c alappr oac h,Bl aneyandI nay at ul l ahs t at et hat“ wear es t i l l l ar gel yhos t aget ot hek i ndsofi mpul s est owar dsdi ffer encet hatmar k edt hewak eoft he Thi r t yYear s ’War ” ,ands ugges t st hatwemi ghts t i l lr equi r epol i t i c al l ycent r al i s edvi ol ence f ors t at est osur v i v e,j us taswedi di n17t hCent ur yEur ope( Bl aneyandI nay at ul l ah,2000, p.45) .Thi si sr ei nf or cedbyTi l l y ’ sar gumentt hatt hemar k eddec l i neofc i v i lwari nmoder n s t at esr epr esent saddeds oc i alc ohes i onandpol i t i c alst abi l i t y ,br oughtaboutbyt hepr oc ess esofc ent r al i s at i onandpol i t i c alv i ol enceov ert hecour seofEur opeanhi s t or y ,f or“ a r ul er ’ sc r eat i onofar medf or cegener at eddur abl es t at es t r uct ur e”( Ti l l y ,1990,p.70) .

Sec ondl y ,pol i t i c alv i ol encei si ns t r ument ali nt hes t at e’ sr ol easpr ot ec t orofi t sc i t i z ens .Conc er ni ngpr ot ec t i onasawhol e,Ti l l yanal ogi s espol i t i calv i ol enc et oapr ot ect i on r ack et ,i nt hati tpr omi s espr ot ect i ont oi t sc i t i z ens ,des pi t ei t sownus eofv i ol enc e,andi ndeedr el y i nguponi t ’ sownuseofv i ol encet oper pet uat et hepr ot ec t i on( Ti l l y ,1985,p.167) . I ndeed,Ti l l ygoess of arast oar guet hat :

“ Si nc egov er nment ss i mul at e,s t i mul at e,orev enf abr i c at et hr eat sofex t er nalwar ,andsi nc et her epr es s i v eandex t r act i v eac t i v i t i esofgov er nment s of t enc ons t i t ut et hel ar ges tc ur r entt hr eat st ot hel i v el i hoodsoft hei rown c i t i z ens ,manygov er nment soper at ei nt hes amewayasr ac k et eer s” .( Ti l l y , 1985,p.171) .

Yett hi spr ot ec t i onofas t at e’ sc i t i z ensc l ear l yhasposi t i v eas pect s-whi l s tt hei nt er nat i onal s pher ehasgr ownbl oodi erandf armor ewar l i k e,‘ i nt er per s onalv i ol enc e’bet weeni ndi vi dual shasgr eat l ydec r eas ed( Ti l l y ,1990,p.68) .I ndeed,t hechancesofdy i ngv i ol ent l yatt he handsofanot herhav edec r eas edi nper f ec tcor r el at i onwi t hhei nc r eas edcent r al i sat i on andus eofpol i t i c alv i ol enc ewi t hi ns t at es( Ti l l y ,1990,p.68) .Thi sl eadsTi l l yt os t at et hat t heus eofpol i t i c alv i ol encet omoni t or ,pr ot ec t ,andpuni s hi s“ di r ec t l yr es pons i bl e”f ort he dec l i nei ni nt er per s onalv i ol enc e,j us t i f y i ngi ti nacons equent i al i s tf as hi on( Ti l l y ,1990,p. 69) .Oneex c ept i on,whi chpr ov est her ul e,i st heUni t edSt at es ,whi c h“ pay st hepr i c ei n r at esofdeat hbyguns hotwoundshundr edsoft i meshi ghert hani t sEur opeancount er par t s ”( Ti l l y ,1990,p.70) .

Pr ot ec t i oni sal s oex t er nal ,i nt hats t at esus epol i t i c alv i ol enc e,andr el at edi ns t i t ut i ons ,t opr ot ectt hems el v esf r om warandi nt er nat i onalv i ol enc e.Foral ongt i mes i ncet he

medi ev aler a,c ent r al i s edpol i t i c alv i ol enc e-andt hei ns t i t ut i onsoft hear my ,mi l i t i a,and c ent r alc ommands t r uc t ur es-wasr equi r edf ort hev er ys ur v i v alofas t at e.Thehi st or i cdec l i neofs mal l ers t at es ,andt r endt owar dsl ar genat i ons t at esandmi l i t ar yempi r es ,s hows t hatsuc huseofpol i t i c alv i ol encewasi ndeedneededt opr os per ,orev ens ur v i v e,i npas t Eur opeani nt er nat i onals y s t ems( Ti l l y ,1990,p.46) .Onemi ghtas s ume,t her ef or e,t hatt he nec ess i t yofpol i t i c al v i ol enc ef ort hes ur v i v al ofs t at esi nher ent l yj us t i fi edi t sus e.Thequest i oni s ,doest hi snec es s i t ys t i l lhol dt r ue ?The20t hCent ur ywast hebl oodi es tt odat e,wi t h mor ewar sandc as ual t i est hananyot herper i odofhi s t or y ,sugges t i ngt hatwemi ghtneed t hepr ot ec t i onofs t at esmor et hanev er( Ti l l y ,1990,p.67) .

Onemi ghts uggestt hati ti spr ec i s el yt hei ns t i t ut i onsofpol i t i c alv i ol enc et hatIhav e beenpr ai s i ngf orpr ot ec t i on,whi c har eac t ual l yt hemsel v esr es pons i bl ef ort hei nc r eas ed dest r uc t i onofwar si nmoder ni t y ,andi ndeedwart heor i s t shav e( Howar d,1983,p.219) . Howev er ,t hi si gnor est hef actt hats t at es ,andev enweal t hyorpower f uli ndi v i dual s ,hav e al way sbeenc apabl eofi nfl i c t i ngc ons i der abl edamage wi t houtcent r al i s ed pol i t i c alv i ol encei ns t i t ut i ons .I ndeed,i ns uc hhi st or i cc as es ,war swer emor eunpr edi ct abl eandr out i nei nt er per sonalv i ol enc ewasc ommon.Ass uc h,Iam i nc l i nedt oagr eet hatt her ol eof pol i t i c alvi ol ence,andas s oc i at edi ns t i t ut i ons ,i npr ot ec t i onf r om ex t er nalt hr eat sr emai nsa k eyf ac t ori nj us t i f y i ngt hes t at e’ suseofpol i t i c al v i ol enc e.

Bl aneyandI nay at ul l ahdoat t emptt oputf or war danant hr opol ogi c alr ebut t alt ot he ar gument sf ori nt er nalpr ot ec t i ont hr oughpol i t i c alv i ol enc e.Theys t at et hatwe,ashumans , hav emov edawayf r om as y s t em wher ei npol i t i c alv i ol enc ewashi s t or i c al l yacc ept ed,and t hatwenow r ej ectt hei ns t i t ut i onal i s edhi er ar c hi esuponwhi cht heper pet uat i onofpol i t i c al v i ol enc ewasbas ed( Bl aneyandI nay at ul l ah,2000,p.31) .Fur t her mor e,t heyr ej ectt he pr emi set hatweneedt os eekc ul t ur alhomogenei t ywi t hi ns t at esi nor dert oac hi ev epol i t i c als t abi l i t y ;r at her ,t heypr opos et hatwefi r stneedt ounder s t andours t r uc t ur al i s tt endenc y t odi v i dei nt ot he‘ us ’andt he‘ t hem’ ,t hei nnerandt heout er( Bl aneyandI nay at ul l ah,2000, p.45) .I fwedoso,wecanov er comet hes i mpl eur geswhi chcompelust ofi ndc onfli cti n di ffer enc e,and r eal i s et hatt heus eofpol i t i c alv i ol encet os uppr es sc ul t ur alt ens i oni sr eal l yj us tanot hermani f es t at i onofi mper i al i s tt endenc i es( Bl aneyandI nay at ul l ah,2000,p. 55) .Thi sar gumenti si nt er es t i ng,andpr es ent sac l earc ont r as tt ot hear guabl yReal i s t l eani ngt houghti nt heot hert ex t sar oundhumannat ur e,y eti tdoesnot ,i nmyopi ni on, pr es entei t herac r i t i queoft heot herl egi t i mat i ngas pec t sofpol i t i c alv i ol enc e,andnotev en

acompr ehens i v ec r i t i queoft heonei s s uewhi c hi tdoesaddr es s ,t hatofc ul t ur alcohes i on. Fur t her mor e,Bl aneyandI nay at ul l ahf ai lt oc onc r et el ys uggestmeansbywhi c ht hei rpr opos al scoul dbemeas ur edori ndeedi mpl ement ed,andass uc hi tdoesnots er v easa power f ul c hal l enget ot hecas ef orj us t i fi abl epol i t i calv i ol ence.

Thes t r onges t ,andmos tf undament al ,ar gumentwhi c hat t empt st oj us t i f ypol i t i c alv i ol enc ei st hatwhi c hr el at esi tt ot henat ur eoft hes t at e,andmos ti mpor t ant l y ,st at ebui l di ng.Weberf amous l ydefi nest hes t at eas“ t hathumanc ommuni t ywhi c hs uc ces s f ul l yl aws c l ai mt ot hemonopol yofl egi t i mat ephy s i c alvi ol ence”( Weber ,1919,pp.31011) ,andt hi s quot at i oni sbutonewhi c hpl acest her ol eoff or c ec ent r alt ot hei dent i t yoft hes t at e.I n t er msofs t at ebui l di ng,Ti l l yar guest hatcent r al i s at i onandcont r ol l edv i ol enc ei sal way si n f av ouroft heac c umul at i onofcapi t alanddev el opmentofbenefi ci alpubl i ci ns t i t ut i ons ,and t hatempi r i c al l ycapi t al i s m andc ent r al i s at i onhav edr i v enmoder ni t yf or war dshandi nhand ( Ti l l y ,1985,pp.1723) .Thi si sf ur t hercompoundedbyt hes ugges t i ont hat ,whi l s tpol i t i c al v i ol enc emi ght ,att hel ev eloft hei ndi v i dualcas e,beneari ndi st i ngui s habl ef r om i nt er per s onalv i ol ence,whenonet ak esal ongt er m per s pect i v eonec ans eet hatanac cumul at i on ofbenefit saddsupt oar ealnetadv ant age( Ti l l y ,1985,p.173) .I nt ur n,t hemor ecompl et el yas t at ec anmonopol i s evi ol ence,t hemor eappar entt hepos i t i v eeffec t scome,and t hel es s erapr i c et heycomeateac ht i me( Ti l l y ,1985,p.174) .Ass uch,wecans eepol i t i c alv i ol enceasat oolbywhi c ht hes t at ei nc r ement al l yi nc r eas est hes ec ur i t yandst abi l i t y ofi t ss i t uat i on,j us t i f yi ngt heus eofsai dvi ol encei nt hel ongr un.Fi nal l y ,Weberi dent i fi es anypol i t i calr el at i ons hi pbet weenast at eandi t speopl eas“ ar el at i ons hi pofr ul ebyhuman bei ngsov erhumanbei ngs ,andonet hatr es t supont hel egi t i mat eus eofv i ol enc e”( Weber , 1919,p.311) .Ac cor di ngt oWeber ,wi t houtt heus eofpol i t i c alv i ol ence,t hes t at ewoul dbe unabl et ok eepor derori ndeeddopol i t i c s :“ f ort hes t at et or emai ni nex i st enc e,t hosewho ar er ul edmus tsubmi tt ot heaut hor i t yc l ai medbywhoev err ul esatanygi v ent i me”( Weber , 1919,p.311) .Ass uc h,cons i der i ngt hatt hes t at ei ss uc ha,i fnott he,pi v ot alaspec tof c ont empor ar ypol i t i c s ,any t hi ngt hatper pet uat esi t sex i s t enc ehasas t r ongc l ai mt oj us t i fic at i on.

Fi nal l y ,wemus tc ons i dert hatmanyadv oc at esofpol i t i c alv i ol encedo,att hes ame t i me,c aut i onr es t r ai ntandacc ount abi l i t y .Mostpr omi nenther ei sWeber ,whoadvi s est hat whi l s twemus tt ak eapr agmat i cappr oac ht omuc hofpol i t i c s ,s uc hpr agmat i cr ec our s esas pol i t i c alv i ol enc e mus ts t i l lbe i nf or med byt he Et hi c sofRes pons i bi l i t yand Conv i c t i on

( Weber ,1919,p.357) .Ass uc h,whatas t at eneeds ,acc or di ngt oWeber ,i sat r ai nedand t al ent edl eadert obal anc et het woEt hi cs ,k eepi ngas t r i ngentmor alcons i der at i onbehi nd eachus eofv i ol enc e.Adv oc at i ngasl i ght l ymor ec ons equent i al i s tt ak eont hei s s ueofpol i t i calv i ol enc e,Weberwr i t est hat :

“ noet hi c si nt hewor l dcangetr oundt hef actt hatt heac hi ev ementofgood endsi si nmanycasest i edt ot heneces s i t yofempl oy i ngmor al l ys us pec t ofatl eas tmor al l ydanger ousmeans ,andt hatonemus tr eck onwi t ht he pos s i bi l i t yorev enl i k el i hoodofev i ls i deeffec t s . ”( Weber ,1919,p.361) .

I ndeed,abs ol ut i stmor al i s t s ,who mi ghtpr opos e out l awi ng pol i t i c alvi ol ence al t oget her , c annot ,ac c or di ngt oWeber ,“ beart heet hi cali r r at i onal i t yoft hewor l d”( Weber ,1919,p. 363) .Ti l l yal s oaddst hatpol i t i c alv i ol encemus tbek epti nt i ghtcont r ol ,andt hatcent r al i sed pol i t i c alv i ol encei sal way spr ef er abl et odec ent r al i s edordel egat edv i ol enc e,i nt hati si t easi ert ot r ac eandc ons t r ai nTi l l y ,1990,p.24) .

Ther ef or e,t oc oncl udeIwoul dar guet hatpol i t i c al v i ol enc ec ani ndeedbej us t i fi ed.A l ar gepar toft het hes i soft hi ses sayhashi ngedupont he,pot ent i al l yUt i l i t ar i an,ar gument t hatt heuseofpol i t i c alv i ol encei nt hes hor tt er mi sj us t i fi abl ei nt hel i ghtoft hel ongt er m benefi t s ,pr i nc i pal l ypol i t i c als t abi l i t yandt hepr ot ec t i onofc i t i z ens .Whi s tBl aneyandI nayat ul l ah’ sar gumentbear ss omemer i t ,ev enj us tf orencour agi ngt her es ol ut i onofc ul t ur al t ens i onswi t houtr ec our s et opol i t i c alvi ol ence,i ti snots uffic i entt ounder mi net hef undament alr el at i ons hi pbet weens t at es ,s t at emak i ng,andpol i t i c alvi ol ence.I fourabi l i t yt o l i v ei ns t abl eandf unc t i oni ngpol i t i c alcommuni t i eshi ngesupont hest at ec ont r olofpol i t i c al v i ol enc e,asTi l l yandWeberc l ai mi tdoes ,t henonewoul dbehar dpr es s edt oadv oc at e t hedi ss ol ut i onoft hepr i nc i pl eoft hes t at e,nomat t ert hepot ent i alr educ t i oni nv i ol encet hat woul docc ur .Whatr emai nsas al i entquest i onatt hi spoi nt ,i st owhatex t ents t at esdoi ndeedr el yuponpol i t i c alv i ol encet opr ot ec tt hei rf undament alnat ur e,andwhet hers t at es mi ghtadapti not herc i r cums t ancest of unct i onwi t houtpol i t i c alv i ol enc e.I ft hi swer et he c as e,anewl ookatt hi sques t i onwoul dundoubt edl ybewar r ant ed.

Bi bl i ogr aphy

Bl aney ,D. ,andI nay at ul l ah,N. ,2000.‘ TheWes t phal i anDef er r al , ’ i n:I nt er nat i onal St udi es Rev i ew2: 2 Howar d,M.1983.TheCaus esofWar s .Cambr i dge:Har v ar dUni v er s i t yPr ess . Ti l l y ,C. ,1985.WarMaki ngandSt at eMak i ngasOr gani s edCr i me.i n:Br i ngi ngt heSt at e BackI n.Ev ans ,Sk oc pol ,andRues c hemey ereds .Cambr i dge:CUP Ti l l y ,C. ,1990.Coer ci on,Capi t al ,andEur opeanSt at es .Ox f or d:Bl ackwel l Weber ,M. ,1919.Pol i t i c sasaVoc at i on.i n:Weber :Pol i t i c alWr i t i ngs .Las s manandSpei r s eds .Cambr i dge[ 1994] :CUP...