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Terrorism2NC -- TerrorismTerrorists target us because of capitalism and our use of foreign policy to expand itKriegger and Meierrieks 15 Journal of Peace Research 2015, Vol. 52(1) 46-61 © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permission: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0022343314552940 - IShone This contribution examines the role of capitalism in anti-American terrorism. It uses two theoretical frameworks, both of which contrast the pacifying effects of higher levels of capitalist development with the potentially destabiliz ing effects of a transition towards capitalism, but differ with respect to their definition of capitalism, capitalism's interaction with anti-American terrorism, and its empirical operationalization. Using panel data for 149 countries between 1970 and 2007 and providing further system-level time-series evidence, this contribution finds no support for hypotheses derived from the classical capitalist peace literature. There is no evidence that anti-American terrorism increases with external economic liberalization or that it decreases with higher levels of economic openness. By contrast, hypotheses derived from economic norms theory find empirical support. Conceptualizing capitalism as social market-capitalism, this article finds that higher levels of market-capitalism are associated with less anti-American terrorism, while the process of marketization fuels it. Consistent with expectations from economic norms theory, the destabilizing effects of the marketization process may stem from the violent opposition of antimarket interest groups that have benefited from the pre-market order to the economic-cultural change initiated by a transition towards a market economy. These interest groups deliberately target the USA as the main proponent of market-capitalism, globalization, and modernity, where anti-American terrorism serves the purpose of consolidating their societal position, rolling back pro-market reforms and limiting the perceived Americanization of their communities. This contribution's findings suggest that the USA may ultimately become a less likely target of transnational terrorism through the establishment of market economies, but should not disregard the disruptive economic cultural effects of marketization process in non-market economies. Anti-American terrorism is an important subset of trans national terrorist activity.1 As shown in Figure 1, terror ism directed against US interests was a constant threat between 1970 and 2007.2 During this time period the USA was the target of terrorist groups with various ideological profiles hailing from both Western countries and the developing world. For instance, US interests were attacked by the left-wing German Red Army Faction (RAF), the Philippine Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and the nationalist-separatist Popular Front for the Lib eration of Palestine (LaFree, Yang & Crenshaw, 2009). Shortly after the attacks of 11 September 2001 (9/11), US President George W Bush (2001 ) asked: 'Why do they [i.e. the terrorists] hate us?' This questions is also at the heart of several academic contributions examining the roots of anti-American terrorism. These studies primarily link its genesis to US foreign policy, that is, the overall politico military dominance of the USA in the international system. (e.g. Volgy, Imwalle & Corntassel, 1997; Sobek Braithwaite, 2005) and the involvement of the external conflicts, be it through military aid o dons (e.g. Pape, 2003; Neumayer & Plümper, 201 In this contribution we study another possible so of anti-American terrorism, the rise of capital Indeed, opposition to capitalism is a cornerstone of many ideologies that have spawned terrorist mo The anticapitalist nature of left-wing terrorism self-evident. For instance, Varon (2004: 72) describ the motivations of left-wing militancy in the USA Germany as follows: 'Under the banner of "rev anti-imperialism," Weatherman and the RAF a militant roles in an international movement o U.S. power and capitalism generally.' o This already hints at the close connection bet anticapitalism and anti-Americanism, which is d widespread perception of the USA as the 'epitom ket civilization' (Mousseau, 2002:6). For instance, ing a survey on anti-Americanism conducted in Fr 2002, Grunberg (2005: 66-67) comes to the follo conclusion: 'Traditional anti-Americanism is prima anticapitalism [.. . ] The United States stands at the heart of the capitalist system, as the prime agent of glo and its foremost beneficiary.' but diff Importantly, anticapitalism is not only associated left-wing but also nationalist-separatist, anticol religious, especially Islamist, terrorist activity directly against the USA. Here, the most prominent example. inflammatory effects of capitalism'. In Sec describe the variables and methodology used to examine the hypotheses developed in Section 2, country-level panel data for 149 countries betw and 2007. Section 4 discusses our findings. Sect vides further time-series evidence, where we a relationship between capitalism and anti-Ameri ism on the system. anti-American terrorism .... , . , , 1 he previous d Economic openness and an A number of empirical contributes capitalist countries are less l and intrastate conflict (e.g. Fjelde, 2010; for reviews of & Gleditsch, 2010; Schneide empirical support for the 'p sis' (Schneider & Gleditsch these studies generally 'equal’ markets or smaller govern (Mousseau et al., 2013: 80). capitalism, the classical capital several pathways through to peace. First, economic growth and develop the opportunity costs o Second, openness creates eco example through trade, capitalist division of labor (Sc make it less attractive to e negative economic consequence to backfire. Download 2.09 Mb. Share with your friends:
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