Extremismustheorie
- Weiter unten ein Text auf Deutsch dazu -
From: On repression pattern in Europe
Extremist and terrorist laws as tools to criminalize social struggle
extremism – a tendency to go to the extremes or an instance
of going to extremes, esp. in politics
The development of the extremism theory evolved from the totalitarian
theory discussion, which appeared as a result of the cruelties of national
socialism and Stalinism, occurring in the middle of the 20th
century. Even though the theory is not new, it has gained exposure in the
recent years due to the repression against any kind of opposition to
government. All around the globe, anti-extremist and anti-terrorist laws are
introduced or further developed. Although anti-terrorist laws were already in
the 19th century as a reaction to activities of the anarchist
movement, there is an obvious push towards the extremist theory in terms of law
enforcement and political propaganda.
But what does it mean and why is it so dangerous for society
for it to be possible to express opposition against existing systems and
politics?
According to anti-extremist theory, the core of society is
constructed as a democratic union, continuously endangered by all kind of
extremisms. This leads to the criminalization of all criticisms of the state,
capitalism and the authorities. In that sense, whatever political opposition:
social movements, fascist, terrorist, anarchist, anti-fascist, are put in one
box. It lumps poplar movements that fight oppression and supremacy with those that
reinforce it.
But this also implies that any ideas outside the core are
not legitimate, and narrows the boundaries of public political debates. The
core of society wants to keep the status quo, and maintain this situation by following
conservative and right wing movements. Daily racism or homophobia for example
are not seen as problems. The structural oppression, carried out by state and
society in our days, mostly connected with colonialism, history of brutality
and genocide, is denied. The oppression of the state itself as an authoritarian
institution is not discussed.
A lot of states developed anti-terrorist laws due to
particular developments of different political movements, like the activities
of the Basques independence groups in Spain or the RAF in the 70s in Germany.
The national state saw the need to protect its institutions and authorities and
react with laws which legitimize interference with personal rights, and allow
repression tactics, for example total isolation in prison. Since 9/11 and the
declaration of war on terror the upgrade of anti-terrorist laws has been happening
all around. Unlimited surveillance or the fact that people can stay in prison
for months without clear accusation or trail, are just some effects of these
laws.
This kind of politics is not only connected with the liberal
world. Whether under Liberalism or a dictatorship, with terms like extremism or
terrorism it is easy to stigmatize the enemy. And the terms are used vaguely,
just like the laws they are connected with, and applied to any kind of
activism.
Aus: Ramba Zamba
Die Extremismustheorie – Ursprünge, Inhalt und Auswirkungen
Der politische Diskurs in Deutschland wird seit Jahrzehnten von der
Extremismustheorie bestimmt. Aufbauend auf die Totalitarismustheorie
wurde mit ihr der Kampfbegriff „Extremismus“ geschaffen, später
politikwissenschaftlich legitimiert und ist bis heute Basis für Behörden
und Geheimdienste in Deutschland. Die Extremismutheorie beruht
ausschließlich auf formalen, nicht auf inhaltlichen Kategorien und ist
seit ihrer Entstehungszeit massiven Konjunkturen unterworfen. Ihr
Einfluss ist in sämtlichen Medien nachzuvollziehen und wirkt sich massiv
auf die Betrachtung politischer Thematiken aus. Im Folgenden soll
dargelegt werden, wie die Extremismustheorie entstanden ist, welche
Zielsetzungen damit einhergehen und wie sie auf das politische Geschehen
einwirkt...
Abschließend bleibt festzuhalten, dass die Verwendung der
Extremismustheorie aus sehr vielen sehr guten Gründen zu vermeiden ist.
Wann immer Personen dies tun, liegt vermutlich fehlendes Grundwissen
politischer Ideologien vor. Von der Seite staatlicher Behörden stellt
dies kein Problem dar, denn so werden unliebsame gesellschaftliche
Strömungen gleichermaßen diskreditiert. Also was tun? Nennt die Kinder
doch einfach beim Namen. Nationalismus, Faschismus, Antifeminismus und
so weiter und so fort. Je präziser die Begriffsverwendung ist, desto
schwieriger ist es auch, gegen diese argumentativ vorzugehen. Der
Extremismusbegriff auf der anderen Seite ist wiederum sehr einfach
auszuhebeln.
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