Emmarlone Salva Ravago Social Philosophy

October 12, 2010 Rev. Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, OP

The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage. - Thucydides

Causes of Terrorism in Society: a Marxian and Freudian Perspective

According to communists, the system of private property has corrupted his (mans) nature The possession of private property gives power to the individual and thence the temptation arises to ill-treat his neighbor; the man who is excluded from the possession of property is obliged to rebel in hostility against the oppressor.1

It is remarkable how primitive man invented the first tools. Man with all his rationality manipulated nature to serve his intentions and needs. He crafted tools out of raw materials: stone, wood and bone. He used them for gathering food, hunting and fishing. However, mans invention and manipulation of such tools took not only the lives of animals; lives of people were also at stake. At some time in history, they knew that simple tools can be used weapons as well. Today, its been a million years since the invention of the first tools. Technological and scientific advances enabled us to create more sophisticated tools, including weapons of mass destruction. The dual function of primitive tools (both as tool and weapon) was split into two which in turn took separate ways. Nowadays, tools are made specifically and exclusively for mans everyday use. Weapons, on the other hand, are made specifically and exclusively for purposes of inflicting pain to others, warfare and mass destruction. When weapons fell into the wrong hands, terrorists2 were born. They became a threat and solution to society.

Lecture notes on Social Philosophy, Freud, Sigmund, Civilization and its Discontent (Excerpts) Terrorist/m is plurisignificative. Hence, it must be made clear that the terrorist the author is referring to are the people who strikes fear through the intentional killing or injuring of persons to achieve political ends. They are the rebels of society.
2

Karl Marx on Social Class Struggles Similar to this modern-day twofold division of tools and weapons is the 18 th century social class division bourgeoisie and proletariat. During the industrial age, society was divided into two: the bourgeoisie or the ruling class who privately owned the means of production, and the proletariat or the working class who were workers and laborers. There was class struggle between the working and ruling class. The working class was exploited and abused by the ruling class. They always end up miserable - becoming poorer and poorer. Nevertheless, according to Karl Marx it is inevitable that the proletariat will someday launch a revolution against the bourgeoisie, demanding common ownership over the means of production, thereby lowering the ruling class to their level and eliminating poverty in society Communism.3

Freud on Human Nature Homo homini lupus4 (man is a wolf to another). According to Freud, Men are not gentle, friendly creatures wishing for love, who simply defend themselves if they are attacked, but that a powerful measure of desire for aggression has to be reckoned as part of their instinctual endowment.5 Freud was convinced that human actions are irrational from mans unconscious self (ID). Mans ID when expressed can be destructive of himself and society. However, man can only attain happiness when his desires and drives are addressed his ID is expressed. Society, seeing the destruction man can bring, prevents him from attaining happiness by holding back his instinctual desires through laws, norms and taboos. Eventually
3

Fuellenbach, John SVD, Hermeneutics, Marxism and Liberation Theology (Manila: Divine Word Publications, 1989), 90. 4 Freud, Sigmund, Civilization and its Discontent (Excerpts) 5 Ibid.

and in some cases inevitably, man, not being able to express his instinctual desires, would burst. Longing to attain happiness, he would break societys laws, address his instinctual desires, but this time he will cause more violent suffering to society.

Causes of Terrorism and the Inevitability of Revolution Taking the Marxian and Freudian ideologies together, it seems that they are best embodied in people we call rebels of society terrorists. In modern society, terrorists seem best an embodiment, on the one hand, of the Marxian proletariat and, on the other, though not solely, of the Freudian concept of human nature. In Marxian ideology/perspective, terrorists can be considered the proletariat revolting against the bourgeoisie. Their end is the common ownership of the means of production equality in society. Before they became terrorists, they were among the miserable proletariat abused and exploited by the bourgeoisie. Their misery made them rebel against the bourgeoisie, the ruling class. They saw that class division in society bred inequality, and ultimately misery. They knew that the laws and standards the ruling class impose and execute in society are sugarcoated lies which give the impression of protecting and preserving the general welfare and interest of society, when actually, only they, the ruling class, their power and property are being protected and preserved. Hence, in order to get rid of their misery and to achieve equality in society, the ruling class, bourgeoisie must be brought down, and their laws removed. The terrorists, rebels of society initiate such revolutions. Hence, in a way, they become the solution to the inequality in society, and ultimately to its misery.

On the other hand, in Freudian ideology/perspective, terrorists are homo homini lupus. They are people who intentionally kill or injure persons to achieve political ends.6 They are responsible for mass killings in society this is the expression of their ID, the satisfaction of their instinctual desires. They act according to their unconscious, irrationality, as Freud may describe it. Their hostile and aggressive tendencies against society especially to its leaders may be caused by two factors: societys laws and taboos, and neurosis. As children, being in the lower class, they were deprived of the satisfaction that they ought to have, that is, material satisfaction. They were born miserable into this world and they carried it until they grew up. As they grow up, unconsciously from time to time they have that drive to fulfill their neurosis, this time through violent means. As what Freud has said, anyone who has lived through the misery of poverty in his youth and has endured the indifference and arrogance of those who have possessions, should be exempt from any suspicion of having understanding or good will towards the endeavors made to combat the economic inequality of men and all that it leads to.7 However, to counter and hold such aggressive instincts, societys leaders, the ruling class sets laws and taboos. Civilization expects to prevent the worst atrocities of brutal violence by taking upon itself the right to employ violence...8 As a consequence, this suppression of the instinctual desires and aggressiveness would lead to the unhappiness of men,9 and eventually, with men being unhappy, similar to what Marx has foreseen, a revolution would inevitably be launched, but this time not for the common ownership of the means of production, rather for

6 7

http://www.law.uga.edu/academics/profiles/dwilkes_more/other_5tyrannicide.html Ernest, John, Sigmund Freud: Life and Works (London: Hogarth Press, 1956), 358. 8 Freud, Sigmund, Civilization and its Discontent (Excerpts) 9 Ibid.

the satisfaction and fulfillment of their instinctual drives. Also, this time it would be more violent and its outcome is a sure success. Whichever ideology/perspective we look at it - Marxian or Freudian, men inevitably end up revolting against societys ruling class/leaders - hence the creation of terrorists. Terrorists are created either by societys inequality or their neurosis/unfulfilled aggressiv e desires - or it could be both. They themselves are either a threat or solution to society a threat to its integrity or a solution to its inequality and misery. However, from their perspective of a revolution, the only ends they see are: social equality and happiness.

Bibliography
A. Books Ernest, John. Sigmund Freud: Life and Works (London: Hogarth Press, 1956). Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and its Discontents, translated by Joan Riviere (Excerpts) (New York: Washington Square Press, 1960). Fuellenbach, John SVD. Hermeneutics, Marxism and Liberation Theology (Manila: Divine Word Publications, 1989).

B. Internet http://writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/freud-civ.html http://www.law.uga.edu/academics/profiles/dwilkes_more/other_5tyrannicide.html