Is Terrorism just the new Communism?

Question

Communism was just a scare tactic; it was/is a fantastic form of government on paper, but doesn't work in reality. It was not and never will be a virus that spreads like we are trying to spread democracy. Terrorism is another scare tactic because terrorism itself is just the use of fear to gain one's objectives. For example, the greatest form of terrorism is war. The current administration as well as many others uses the same policy that is dictated by Fascist idealists and dictatorial idealists, alike, this is terrorism. It is why we constantly hear of attacks that may come at anytime, anywhere, by anyone. Communism was part of the same concept. If the people are cowering in fear, and the powers that be come up with ways to eliminate that which they are afraid of, then some votes will be won. Also, this is great for getting many willing to legally murder tens of thousands of people.

Answer 1

So, Nazism was just a scare tactic too with your logic? The problem is we call it terrorism, when we should call it what it is-Islamic-Fascism.

Answer 2

One can understand why such question is given here.
The Communism was a threat to American society in 20th century and justified its existence as a great power, which in fact was a part of balance of power, according to Hans Morgenthau.
Today, the communism does not present a considerable threat to US because it has discredited itself with Soviet Union's demise.
As a terrorism, as I can see, the Islamist extremism is given here. So, from this aspect, it is a threat to US (terrorist aim to destroy USA) but is not a communism and cannot be compared to it. Reasons:
a) Communism has rejected the existence of God, thus being a cradle for atheism, infidelity etc. And terrorists argue that God is the one who directs them and urges them to build an Islamic State as a panacea for all illnesses the global society has today.
b) The terrorism is an answer to globalization as a new phenomenon in social relations in the world. Though communism was not.
c) Communism believed that in the final stage there will be no State formation and people will live in harmony etc. Islamism does not mean that. They mean that the Globe will be under global Islamic rule and state formation will prevail.
I do see why generally people get confused these two social phenomena because they pose a threat to US. But again, communism is different from Islamism, simply because it has gained entire states under the control and Islamism could not. even though some people believe that terrorista have ruled in Afghanistan, that is a false statement, because Taliban were different from al-Qaeda and even had problems with bin Laden over several issues, like attacking America.
So, finally, terrorism is not a new Communism. It is a mere political tool, which also was used by Bolsheviks in Soviet Union (The Red Terror). But Islamism is an ideology just like Communism was, because it provides the vision of socio-political and spiritual organizing people. So please, do not be confused. Any further questions, feel free to contact: [e-mail]

Answer 3

Terrorism will never be the new anything, because terrorism has always been around (whether militarily or politically). As for communism, communism was not (and is not) "just a scare tactic," it was (and is) a very decent form of government, the only reason communism does not continue to flourish is because of its self-centered, and self-destructive rulers. Communism was the government's excuse to carry out ridiculous actions, now terrorism is their excuse.

Answer 4

Hardly. Communism IS a form of government. Terrorism is at best a form of anarchy. That's not to say the Communism is necessarily legitimate - more people have probably died under Communist regiemes than from pure terrorism itself.

But Communism CAN work, although in extremely limited situations. My crowning achievement in Catholic school (5th grade!) was getting a nun to admit that the convent was a pure yet functional form of Communism. I was expelled after that but that was my goal anyway. Come to think of it, they had their terroristic ways as well.

Answer 5

Millions and millions of victims beg to differ that Communism was a scare tactic. The tradgedy of the fall of Communism is there never was a Nuremburg trial for the perpetrators of Marxist-Leninist terror perpetrated from one end of the globe to the other. So the looney left still maintain the Cold War was an American invention.
The majority of the Red mass-murderers and hitmen of communism live quietly on old-age pensions. There are no "human rights" groups tracking them down.
The United States was under attack both externally and internally. The truth was Joe McCarthy was right!
It is good that you do link Communsim and terrorism, it was the Communists that espouced and practiced terrorism since day one.

Answer 6

The Communists in their time actually had some honor and they were REAL. As it stands now, The Terrorists, as far as honor, have none whatsoever. While it may have been in the power of the Soviets to do a lot of carnage, they did have scruples and did aspire to something better. I don't think that people taking precautions against an enemy is any vice. And as far as politicians, I think they would say anything regardless.

Answer 7

In your treatise, you fail to mention that Communism was a very real threat. It spread like cancer throughout the world. In their dogma, they stated that Communism "was inevitable," and that the whole world would come under it.

There were people cowering in fear, but it was those under the oppressive Communist regimes that cowered. They would go to bed, and not know if the secret police would come and take a loved one at night.

The people starved, while the ruling "class" (I put that in quotation marks, since Communism was supposedly classless.) had trouble keeping their cholesterol in check.

The Warsaw pact especially, was a formidable force that had to be dealt with, which required a lot of military expenditures. It was through these expenditures, plus the revolt of the people under Communism, that it fell. (Everywhere except a very few countries, and most American and European universities.)

Islamic Terrorism is similar, except they actually attacked our soil. Something the Communists only did in secret, and then only in small numbers.

I don't know what color the sky is in your world, but in the real one, if we don't take steps to prevent the onslaught of Islamic Terrorism, you will be speaking Arabic, and standing shoulder to shoulder in a mosque on Fridays performing salaat; or you will be subjugated under a tax, or killed. Your choice.

Answer 8

clap clap clap. Good question. I'm glad people are still asking these questions.

The Western world needs a common threat. When Bush declared a war on terror, it was the smartest thing to ever come out of his mouth. As dumb as he seems, he's a marketing genius. That's the only reason he got into the office. Image. He actually pulled off waging a war on an unknown, faceless enemy. Where ever or whom ever they are. And as hopeless as it's getting, he still can justify sending 21000 more people with huge support. Mind you, most of his support is from the South but that's another song.

The US will always use fear as leverage for themselves. It's only a question of who. Right now, it is terrorism. And that itself is a very vague term.

Answer 9

No. the Communist governments did not go around blowing up people. Their philosophy was to take over quietly, from the inside by changing the way people think. Russia for example, did not blow up the twin towers. Or attack US interests worldwide. They did use propaganda to the fullest. But lies in a newspaper never killed three thousand people in one incident.

Answer 10

Terrorists all have their own agenda why they are terrorizing people/nations. Communists on the other hand, have a united agenda.