Another method [to attenuate murdercide], says Princeton University economist Alan B. Krueger, is to increase the civil liberties of the countries that breed terrorist groups. In an analysis of State Department data on terrorism, Krueger discovered that ââ¬Åcountries like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, which have spawned relatively many terrorists, are economically well off yet lacking in civil liberties. Poor countries with a tradition of protecting civil liberties are unlikely to spawn suicide terrorists. Evidently, the freedom to assemble and protest peacefully without interference from the government goes a long way to providing an alternative to terrorism.ââ¬Â Let freedom ring.
This is certainly true, but I think the bigger reason is that these countries suppress the idea of inalienable rights. Once the idea is embraced that you, and everyone around you, has rights that no mere man/government can rightfully take from you, you are changed fundamentally. It not only points you in the direction of fixing the wrongs, but gives you long term determination/hope of doing so without resorting to killing lots of innocent people in order to get your way.
Re:
Aristotle on 2006-01-20T16:18:38
How can there be civil liberties without inalienable rights or vice versa? Aren’t they synonymous?
Inalienable rights are better
bluto on 2006-01-20T19:17:43
Civil liberties descend from government and can be taken away by government at their whim. Inalienable rights descend from no human power, so they cannot be revoked by human power. For example, your right to live is inalienable (arguably with the condition that you don't usurp someone else's right to live, say via murder). A government may make a law that allows it to take your life away when you've committed no crime (e.g. euthanasia when you become "useless" to society), but that doesn't take away your right to defend it.
