3.Can terrorism be risk managed Discuss with reference to old and new forms of terrorism - Essay Example

To actualize this threat, they may decide to harm one who opposes their candidate. The fact is that voting is secret and the bully knows that to increase the chances of his candidate winning, he has to ensure that there is increased pressure and more harm. This is how terrorism activity occurs (Samuels, 2008). To begin the essay, there are many other forms of evil deeds that are often confused with terrorism. These include murder, assassination, assault, battery, destruction of property, theft, robbery, rape, extortion and espionage.

All these are not terrorism, but can be utilized by terrorists to conduct terrorism (Melisow, 2008). In these modern times, terrorism is used for political gains. Politics is not an individual game; rather, it involves a group. Most of these political activities are controlled by governments. This forms a soft target by the terrorists, who want to affect government activities and change the way a government performs by scaring people in a country (Melisow, 2008). This sentiment is echoed by Hoffman who states that terrorism is all about power; it’s the pursuit of power, its acquisition, and subsequent use for political change (2013).

The old terrorism was practiced during the French revolution. Despite its modern-day use, it had a positive implication. It occurred during the period of 1793-1794 during the transient anarchical period of unrest, as a result of the 1789 uprising (Hoffman, 2013). Although the current world refers to it as terrorism, during the earlier times, it was known as an instrument used by the government of a new revolutionary state. Hoffman points out that “it was designed to consolidate the new government’s power by intimidating counter revolutionaries” (2013, p.3). It constituted the committee of general security and revolutionary tribunal.

They were very powerful and had the ability to arrest and prosecute by form of death, anyone who tried to oppose the revolution. The earlier