Terror for Profit, Part One: An Oceanography for Terrorism

In the first part of Terror for Profit, I set the scene for the reader on what terrorism is, what it is not, and how it interacts with organized crime.

David Rapoport outlines how terrorism has hit society in waves for the last century and a half. Each wave has its own characteristics, flooded with characters at the political zeitgeist of when the wave formed. Rapoport’s perception of waves of violence affecting societies is not unique, with historians of the ancient Roman empire noting the same in uprisings against imperial rule.

The modern concept of terrorism began to take shape with the Anarchists of the 1880s onwards. This diverse group of individuals, much like today’s lone wolves, were united by their disruptive actions. This section of the book highlights the role of emerging technologies in enabling the Anarchists, a chilling parallel to the internet's role in the dissemination of hate today.

This book is careful to distinguish between those who perpetrate random acts of violence and those who are driven by political motives. Understanding this distinction is crucial, as it underscores the different goals and motivations of these two groups.

The book outlines that terrorists need funding to function; without money, they have no operational capability. Theories on how they make this money are discussed and examples are illustrated of where this money-making has become the prime driver for activity rather than the terrorist cause that was the original goal.

As the reader appreciates the transformation that has happened, they will be able to discern why organized crime has always been so crucial to terrorism but is now becoming something of its purpose—terror for profit.