Violence & Abuse

Violence is common to political life. The pre political condition of nature is often described as a place of random violence, which we escape by forming a political society under the rule of a centralized authority (the State) that claims domination on the lawful use of violence. When the legitimacy of the State is challenged, and legal routes for voicing one's disagreeing are closed, citizens once again resort to violence. This can take diverse forms, from civil disobedience, to terrorism, to outright revolutions.

The usual definition of violence refers to an act of force exerted to impart physical harm or injury on another person. This meaning is insufficient on at least 3 accounts. It refers completely to physical harm or injury, neglecting psychological abuses or attacks. Only other persons are listed as the possible victims of violence, whereas animals or lifeless objects can also be the targets of violence. It supposed that there is a direct link joining the doer and the victim of violence, overlooking the fact that violence often works in indirect ways.