Should Patriots Use Acts of Terrorism in the Formation of their Government?

The creation of a sovereign government is one of the most important events that can take place. This is because it involves individuals undertaking their patriotic duty towards ensuring that they create a government that puts into consideration all of their nationalist aspirations. In the contemporary world, there have been instances where terrorism has been used by patriots as a means of creating their government. Such instances have been seen in countries such as Israel and Northern Ireland, where patriotic groups have made use of terrorism to achieve their objectives. This paper argues that there are instances where it is inevitable that patriots must use terrorism to create their government, because while patriotism is a motive, terrorism can be considered a means of achieving this motive.

Among the most significant acts by patriots in a bid to ensure the creation of their state through terrorist activities were those of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The IRA was for a long time categorized as a terrorist organization by not only the British government, but also its allies. This was despite the fact that this organization did not partake in violence for its own sake, but rather sought to bring about the independence of Northern Ireland. This organization, rather than being motivated by such aspects as religion or money, the IRA sought to ensure that there was the advancement of the rights the nationalists in Northern Ireland, especially when it came to the achievement of independence from Britain (Martin, 2012, p.231). The IRA orchestrated several bombing campaigns as well as organizing an armed opposition to British rule in Northern Ireland; a campaign that continued for decades. A result of this situation was that while this organization did not attain its objective of bringing about the independence of Northern Ireland, it was able to ensure that it promoted the achievement of a peace settlement that sought to bring together the nationalist and loyalist groups in the country (Martin, 2012, p.457). The case of the IRA is fundamental because it shows the manner through which despite the use of terrorism, this organization was able to achieve its objectives, which were patriotic rather than conducted for malicious purposes. The use of terror by the IRA was able to achieve the recognition of the rights of Irish nationalists, and despite not gaining independence; the Irish nationalists have attained a place in the Northern Irish government.

The use of terrorism to achieve patriotic goals can be considered the right course, because it seeks to ensure that there is a respect for the rights of individuals in the regions where they live. Most liberation movements, no matter their methods, have often been categorized as terrorist organizations, as seen with such groups as the IRA in Ireland, and Lehi in the Palestinian Mandate. Patriotic groups often resort to terrorism in situations where they feel that their concerns are not being addressed by the government within which they live (Marsden, 2016). A consequence is that they seek to ensure there is a level of advancement of their objective through the creation of their own government. These groups, such as the ETA, which promotes Basque independence, often face innumerable odds because the actors that they challenge are stronger than them, with more resources (Leonisio, 2015). Under such circumstances, one of the most effective ways of making sure that there is the advancement of their interests is the use of terror. Terrorism gets the attention of state actors that stand in the way of patriots creating their government, meaning that it can be considered as a weapon of the weaker party. Without the use of acts of terrorism, it is unlikely that the aspirations of patriots to form their own governments would be respected, because these acts ensure that they put as much pressure as possible to the dominant power or state so that they can be allowed to pursue their objectives.

In conclusion, in situations where patriots desire to create their own governments, they are often ignored by the prevailing powers at the time. A consequence is that they have to resort to dramatic displays that will get the attention of these powers. Under such circumstances, the use of terrorism is an effective way of not only gaining the objectives of patriotic organisations, but also putting as much pressure as possible on the dominant parties to such an extent that they end up either giving in to the aspirations of the patriots, or coming to a negotiated settlement with them. Thus, terrorist acts by patriots are a political tool by weaker parties aimed at the achievement of negotiated settlements.