West European Studies

The nature of terrorism reflects socio-economic and political elements that govern society. Historically, the underprivileged, or those who thought they were unfairly exploited by the ruling class, have resisted this domination with both philosophical ideologies and revolutionary radicalism. From the time Karl Marx attacked western capitalism as the machine which oppressed societys working class, there have been similar but modified reactionary responses to destabilize the status quo. However, the complexity of the issue is not the nature of the conflict between the revolutionaries and their opponents, but rather the blind arrogance and outrageousness with which the self proclaimed liberators carry out their war against oppression.

In his book, The Dynamite Club How a Bombing in Fin-de-Sicle Paris Ignited the Age of Modern Terror, John Merriman traces the events leading to the bombing of Caf Terminus in Paris, France, in 1894 by a revolutionary radical named Emile Henry. Departing from previous anti-government campaigns that targeted only the principal targets (government officials and representatives), the Caf Terminus bombing was a blind hit which killed even the civilians that the movement was supposedly fighting for. In the wider perspective, the incidence relates to modern terrorism, which equally operates on the principle that the end will justify the means. Accordingly, the anarchists believed that whatever aids the triumph of the revolution is ethical all that hinders it is unethical and criminal.Notable are the operations of terrorist group al Qaeda, whose jihadist philosophy echoes the spirit of anarchism in the 19th century. Similarly, the religious convictions that inform suicide bombings in modern terrorism reflect the anarchist ideology that the attackers were fighting in the interest of the larger society by resisting power governments that controlled, censured and manipulated the ruled . By critically reviewing John Merrimans The Dynamite Club, the essay argues that modern terrorism is a metamorphosis of 19th century anarchism that was triggered by socio-economic inequalities and political repression.

The Dynamite Club is a crystal-clear portrayal of the inherent conflict between the haves and haves not in society. More often than not, these conflicts arise from social inequalities that create a huge gap between the poor and the rich, thus provoking a sprit of resentment and hatred by the former towards the latter. In this book, John Merriman, a history professor at Yale University, captures succinctly the elements of social segregation that characterized 19th century French society. It revolves around the life and times of Emile Henry, who, though learned and imbued with a scholarly mien, becomes a renegade and social rebel due to the exploitative oppression of the commons in the hands of the ruling class and the selfish bourgeois family that ought to be eliminated.. Beginning as a campaigner for social change through the political and economical reformation of the French society, he goes overboard with radical enthusiasm and takes the path of anarchism. He notes that Emile left socialism behind, believing that its intrinsically hierarchical nature rendered it incapable of changing the existing order of things.In this account, Merriman portrays the gradual degeneration of inter-class differences into violent reactions by the complainants of social oppression. It suggests that society is characterized by constant conflicts among its various groups, who could very easily resort to violence as a means of protestation. At the same time, it bares the collective responsibility of socio-economic and political institutions in the ensuing crisis. In the French society, for instance, the ruling class was partly responsible for creating a man-eat-man society that pitied the poor against the rich. The rise of anarchism, therefore, was not an isolated development of deviant elements in society, but the product of harsh and repressive economic and political conditions. By lacking the voice necessary to make their grievances heard in high places, the activists for the rights of the oppressed subjects resorted to violence as the one surest way of drawing the authorities attention.

Modern terrorism works in a similar manner. Most of the witnessed terrorist attacks against humanity are justified by the rebels as a protestation to political domination and interference of foreign powers in other sovereign territories. In this regard, al Qaedas architects have repeatedly denounced the USs foreign policy on the Arab world, and opposed its military occupation in Afghanistan, Iraqi and elsewhere. However, in a similar tactic as that employed by the militias of the Dynamite Club, al Qaeda targets innocent victims since its hand of vengeance could not reach the real targets at the White House. It is at this point, when they through caution to the winds as Emile Henry did more than a century ago, that their agenda, however noble intended, loses its relevance and failed to reconcile morality with the laws of nature.

Nonetheless, it offers insight into the mindset of terrorists, which compels them to engage in indiscriminate destruction to make their point. To the anarchist French revolutionaries, it was stretching the limits of logic to such an absurd degree by arguing that the solution was to destroy every social institution, so that a new society could rise from the remnants of destructions. They preached to rely upon the unquenchable spirit of destruction and annihilation which the perpetual spring of new life. In regard to contemporary terrorism, the reasoning is that the enemys friend is an enemy as well, and therefore the real target could be weakened from any angle either economically or politically. It explains the groups persistent attacks on their enemies foreign interests, such as the November 28 2002 bombing of the Israel owned Paradise Hotel in Kikambala, Kenya, and major hits of American embassies around the world. According to the terrorists logic, if the enemy could not be hit hardest where it hurts most, then any hit could drive the point home.

By extension, it reflects the global presence of terrorist networks and the reality of foreign influence and technology on terrorism. In the anarchist movement, Emile was operating under the shadows of Russian ideologists Mikhail Bakunin and Peter Kropotkin. Scientific innovations such as the discovery of dynamites explosive nature, on the other hand, aided the anarchists cause significantly. Not surprisingly, poems were composed that sang of it thus
At last a toast to science
To dynamite that is the force
The force in our own hands
The world gets better day by day

In a similar manner in the case of modern terrorism, the foreign business ventures of Saudi Arabia born Osama bin Laden in countries like Afghanistan, Turkey and other Arab countries made those nations hotbeds for terrorist activities, which in turn placed them on a collision path with the US. Similarly, modern technology such as the internet has promoted its networking activities throughout the world. Equally, access to weapons of mass destruction has made modern day terrorist a great threat to the survival of humanity.

The responses that the activities of anarchism provoked from the French authorities are echoed by the over-board reactions of  US War on Terror initiated by the Bush administration following the September 11 attacks by al Qaeda. What is evident is the fear factor inspired by the recklessness and unpredictability of terrorists in their activities they can hit anytime, from anywhere in the world. Coupled with their usual threats- perhaps to keep their enemies nervous and forever grappling with possibilities of danger (and they often succeed on this score), the powers that be (read the USA) sometimes exaggerate the situation with swift and pompous counter-attacks, which, like the French governments intrusion into civilian life to tame anarchism, also violates the rights of innocent victims. This is exemplified by the series of air strikes upon imagined al Qaeda hide-outs, leaving behind horrid scenes of civilian casualties.

Finally, the Dynamite Club portrays a strong link between ideology and terrorism. While the French anarchists were brainwashed by foreign literature and anarchist philosophy that leaned towards communist tendencies, which is evident of Henrys celebration of a school prize with the slogan Long live the Commune. on the need to clean up the mess created by the established political and economic institutions, modern terrorism leans heavily on religious ideology such as the holy war (jihad), which guarantees martyrs of the war eternity in the after-life. This belief of martyrdom is singled out as the force behind the prevalence of suicide bombings, which have become the signature of terrorism.

In conclusion, John Merriman succeeds in critically portraying the underlying forces that drive terrorism in society. He particularly points out socio-economic inequalities and repressive political regimes as the triggers of rebellion inter-class conflicts. Similarly, movements, 19th century anarchism and modern terrorism are informed by philosophical and religious ideologies. In their desperate measures to be heard, the underprivileged resort to violence as the only language that will prick the conscience of those in power. Modern terrorism, on its part, follows a similar pattern of indiscriminate violence against innocent victims. This notwithstanding, however, the concerned authorities respond in an equally destructive and exaggerated manner, such that it blurs the line of distinction between the character of terrorist groups and that of legitimate governments.