ARE DEMOCRACIES MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO TERRORISM THAN TOTALITARIAN STATES? A DISCOURSE

Tunde Agara (PhD), Alexander I. Dike

Abstract


This paper listed for discussion conceptual description of democracy and totalitarianism with a view to justify model of government that is rapidly susceptible to terrorism. The tenet of the paper differentiates forms of democracies and totalitarianism; develops construct of terrorism in the context of government. The paper relied on secondary data, historical account and archives to construct premise of explanation. Democracies and totalitarianism are forms of government which evidently were adopted by cosmopolitans to govern between the ruler and the governed. Social democracy is consisted among socialist societies; liberal democracy is consisted among capitalist societies. Socialist democracy flourishes in the ruling of authoritarians and fascists. Liberal democracy flourishes in the ruling of pluralists and sub power levels. Totalitarian is a power dictator and supreme leader. Social democracy is mild and allows collective government; liberal democracy is collective government and power is evenly distributed in the organs. Totalitarianism is absolute and rule by decree. Terrorism is force of agitation and suicidal in the approach. Social democracy is mild, it is mildly susceptible to terrorism; liberal democracy is weak, it is susceptible to terrorism; totalitarianism is rigid, it is less susceptible. Terrorism flourishes in liberal democracy of Africa like Nigeria due to multiplicity of ethno-religious characteristics. Terrorism is less enforceable in western liberal democracy which is largely ethnic homogenous. Terrorism is likely to persist in Nigeria, except government develops equally to benefit ethno-religious groups. 

Keywords


Government, Development, Ethnicity, Religion; Democracy.

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