Cjss second Issue: cjss second Issue qxd

6. Existence of other forms of instability; 7. Support; 8. Failed attempts to pre-
vent occurrence of terror; 9. Availability of weapons and explosives; 10. Feel-
ings of protest against injustice. 
According to the Psychological Theory terrorism is a product of the
pessimism and protest in the society, formed by a number of international, re-
gional or interstate political, economic and social factors. According to Martha
Crenshaw (2000) The Psychological perspective unites such psychological
theories as the Frustration and Aggression Theory- arguing that any frustra-
tion will be transferred in aggression, and materialization of the aggression
will finally reduce the level of frustration; the Theory of Relative Deprivation-
when a person compares his own opportunities and needs with that of others.
If he sees a difference between the two, he may protest against injustice in a
violent form.
The origins of terrorism is also often explained from the perspective of
the Rational Choice Theory, resting mainly on the cost-benefit analysis. The
theory makes a difference between the individual and group rationality and
claims the latter to be a superior form of rationality; Namely: during the ra-
tional analysis a person makes a choice between his own benefits and the
benefits of the society- most often choosing the second option. In connection
to terrorism, the rational choice theory can explain the rationality of a suicide
bomber- which is views his death as a benefit for the society he belongs to. 
The Rational Choice Theory is well discussed by Martha Crenshaw
(1981) in her article “Causes of Terrorism”: “Significant campaigns of terror-
ism depend on rational political choice... terrorism is the result of an organi-
zation’s decision that it is a politically useful means to oppose a government.
The argument that terrorist behavior should be analyzed as “rational” is
based on the assumption that terrorist organizations possess internally con-
sistent sets of values, beliefs, and images of the environment.” Thus form the
perspectives of the organization violence is a approved method of fulfilling its
aims. 
The Communications Theory- connects the spread of terrorist activi-
ties to the advancement of communication technologies; namely its is the
mass-media which makes terrorism such a powerful instrument against a
state. Mass telecommunications also promotes terrorism in the regions where
it has not previously existed but where there are relevant economic, social
and political factors. Communication technologies can promote terrorism for
4 reasons:
Communications can be easily used for propaganda
Information can be delivered in such a form that will present terrorism
in a preferable light
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While discussing strategies and tactics of various terrorist organizations,
the mass-media unwillingly transfers valuable information to other groups
which have some reason to be dissatisfied and are willing to begin applying
violent methods.
Describing the details of a successful terror attack in one part of the
world may be copied by other groups in another part of the world for their
own reasons. (Yazedjian, 2002).
The oldest theory concerned with the origins of terrorism is the “con-
spiration theory”, which gained popularity in the end of the 19
th
century. Ac-
cording to this theory terrorism was the manifestation of the global
conspiracy of communists. The adherents of the given theory interpreted
every attack in any part of the world as a demonstration of the  communist
threat. 
Together with growing concerns around terrorism, the number of works
trying to set up a theoretical framework of terrorism is increasing as well.
This in its part, makes a great contribution to discovering new and more ef-
ficient methods of confronting terror. Unfortunately, most of the theories deal
with only some aspect of terrorism, since its hard if not impossible to find
one universal framework dealing with this manifold phenomenon taken as a
whole. 
The Four Waves of Terrorism
After considering various theories about the origins of terrorism, we
should go on with defining various forms of terrorism. Most of the experts
single out four types of terrorism- these are the left-wing, the right-wing, the
ethnonationalist and the religious terrorism. According to Kurth Cronin
(2002) “All four types have enjoyed periods of relative prominence in the
modern era, with left-wing terrorism intertwined with the Communist move-
ment, right-wing terrorism drawing its inspiration from Fascism” then the
author comments on the remaining two types saying:  “the bulk of ethnona-
tionalist/separatist terrorism accompanying the wave of decolonization es-
pecially in the immediate post-World War I1 years. Currently, “sacred”
terrorism is becoming more significant. Although groups in all categories con-
tinue to exist today, left-wing and right-wing terrorist groups were more nu-
merous in earlier decades.” Here we should note that some of the experts
merge the left- and right-wing terrorism in a bigger categorie: the ideologi-
cal/anarchist terrorism. 
Kurth Cronin (2002) pays a special interest to the differences between
the left- and right-wing terrorism and argues: “left-wing terrorist organiza-
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tions, driven by liberal or idealist political concepts, tend to prefer revolu-
tionary, antiauthoritarian, antimaterialistic agendas” The author also stresses
the difference between the violent methods the two prefer most: “left-wing
organizations often engage in brutal criminal-type behavior such as kidnap-
ping, murder, bombing, and arson, often directed at elite targets that symbol-
ize authority” (Cronin 2002). However, as the author notes, the left-wing
terrorist have a difficulty in agreeing on their long-term goals. While the right-
wing terrorism “can be ruthless, but in their most recent manifestations they
have tended to be less cohesive and more impetuous in their violence than
leftist terrorist groups. Their targets are often chosen according to race but
also ethnicity, religion, or immigrant status, and in recent decades at least,
have been more opportunistic than calculated” (Cronin 2002).
James Wilson (2004) in his article “What Makes a Man Terrorist?” sin-
gles out different forms of terrorism and discusses those social, economic and
political factors which result in rise of terrorism in this or that part of the
world. Wilson makes clear the ideological differences between the right and
the left-wing terrorists. While the right-wing terrorists set the past as an ideal
and try to restore it, the leftists see materialization of their ideals in the future. 
After discussing the differences between the right-wing and left-wing
terrorist groups, Kurth Cronin considers the features of the “third wave”- or
the ethnonationalist or the separatist terrorist organizations.
“Ethnonationalist/separatist terrorists are the most conventional, usu-
ally having a clear political or territorial aim that is rational and potentially
negotiable, if not always justifiable in any given case” (Cronin 2002) As these
groups always find a wide support in the society whose territorial claims they
represent, fighting the ethnonationalist form of terrorism is full of obstacles,
often leading to lengthy periods ethnic violence. 
The fourth, religious form of terrorism is univocally recognized as the
most dangerous form of terrorism by the international experts. As one of the
authors puts it: “religion gives its true believers an account of the good life and
a way of recognizing evil” then he continues: “if you believe that evil in the
form of wrong beliefs and mistaken customs weakens or corrupts a life or-
dained by God, you are under a profound obligation to combat that evil. If you
enjoy the companionship of like-minded believers, combating that evil can
require that you commit violent, even suicidal, acts.” (Wilson 2004) This is
the reason why the religious extremist so often confront national govern-
ments- any structure which is not formed on the religious principles is recog-
nized by them as illegal. Extremists view any step towards modernization as
a direct blow to the traditional values and religious teachings  their ancestors
have long obeyed. Religious terrorism unites two important elements: (the
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