Reshetnikov M.M. The modern world - psycho-political analysis: what attracts young people to terrorist organizations and groups? // Oxford University Press: J. Social Problems, Issue 4(2), Vol. 64 - 2017. - P. 1132 - 1153

1. Social Problems
Issue 4 (2), November 2017
VOLUME 64
Oxford University Press
2017

2. Social Problems
1132
Reshetnikov M.M.
The modern world - psycho-political analysis: what attracts
young people to terrorist organizations and groups?
Abstract: In this paper, the main social-psychological and social-political
problems of contemporary world are analysed, such as the USA’s struggle for
geopolitical dominance, Russia’s counteraction to monopolar world, worldwide crisis
of democratic ideas and institutions, increased value of justness and quantitative
growth of terrorist organizations as well as their qualitative transformation.
Keywords: geopolitics, democracy, crisis, contemporary capitalism, terrorism.
Introduction: the main problems of the contemporary world
The contemporary crisis of international relations is explained by a number of
hypotheses, but most of them seem to be rather superficial in their analysis of the
current situation and available facts, thus they cannot provide adequate information
for practical decisions. In this paper I am trying to give, without claim to absolute
truth, somewhat different interpretation of the current situation; let me start by
outlining the main problems of contemporary world, which are:
1. The USA’s struggle for geopolitical dominance;
2. Russia’s counteraction to monopolar world;
3. Worldwide crisis of democratic ideas and institutions;
4. Increased value of justness;
5. Quantitative growth of terrorist organizations and their qualitative
transformation.
1. The USA’s struggle for geopolitical dominance
First of all, let us discuss a few strategic documents, which were written for the
USA Department of Defence in 1991-1997 and in which the main stages and
strategic goals of American policy for a few decades are outlined1. These analytic
1 In particular, such documents as: “Enlarging NATO. The Russian Factor” – RAND Corporation, 1996;
“US Grand Strategies: Implication of the United States and the World” – Strategic Appraisal 1996,
RAND corporation, 1996; “A New European Order”. – The Economist, May 17-23, 1997; Brzezinski Z.
“The Global Chessboard. American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives, Basic Book”, N-Y,
1997; Friedman G, Friedman M. “The Future of War and American World Dominance in the 21
Century”. – Crown Publishers, N-Y., 1997; “The Coming Clash of Europe with America” – World
Policy Journal, vol. XV, # 4, Winter 1998/1999.

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notes and programs have different titles, but the same intention is described in them:
that is, to expand the NATO and to neutralize, to isolate and to divide Russia.
The document on the NATO expansion begins with analysis of the concept of
geopolitical pluralism, which was very popular at the end of the XX century and which
serves two goals: on the one hand, it obstructs re-integration of post-Soviet
countries, and on the other, it opens post-Soviet geopolitical space for American
expansion due to “open doors” policy and suppresses attempts of creating any
coalition that might endanger the USA hegemony. It is well-known that this idea
belongs to Zbigniew Brzezinski; later it was supplemented by idea of severing
centuries-long economic and cultural connections between Russia and post-Soviet
countries (that is Russo-centrism, in American terminology) and expanding American
influence to Baltic countries and Ukraine. It is stressed in the document that such
steps would lead to Russia’s political isolation and help the USA reach its main goal,
that is, to gain control over Eurasia.
The authors of this document prove, quite logically, that if Russia recognizes
incorporation of Viserad Group (Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary) into the
NATO, it will be easier for the USA to claim its rights for Bulgaria, Romania, Baltic
countries and Ukraine. Let us remind you that this plan of the NATO expansion was
developed in 1991- 1997, and in full accordance with this plan, Bulgaria, Latvia,
Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Estonia joined the NATO in 2000. The
authors of this strategic prognosis analyse possible reactions of Russian leadership
and predict that Russia’s first setback will create conditions for setbacks in the future;
after Baltic countries and Ukraine, the rest of the post-Soviet countries might be
taken under control. These documents state that in accordance with this logic and
Brzezinski’s ideas, in the end, Russia itself should be divided.
It is noteworthy that these strategic plans of American Lebensraum policy2 [2]
imply deterring not only Russia but any other countries, including, first of all, the
USA’s current allies Germany and Japan. As the authors of these documents
explain, it is vital for the USA to halt any disloyal hegemony in strategically important
regions of the world. According to these documents, such regions include those with
developed economy and technical, natural and human resource; these regions, if
they consolidate, might try to counteract American hegemony in the world. Moreover,
2 Lebensraum im Osten (German) means «life space in the East». It was Nazi propaganda term
referring to plans to let German Arians inhabit neighborhood lands.

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the European Union is also viewed as a coalition that should not be encouraged by
the USA, because united Europe, strengthened and expanded, is not in its interests.
That is, the USA does not need integration between the Western Europe and Russia,
which started in times of German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder (1998-2005), as
well as united Europe as such. As to possible reaction of West European leaders to
the USA hegemony, it was supposed that they will agree with it, in exchange for
guarantees of safety and minimization of their military defence expenses.
In conclusion, the abovementioned documents state that expansion of
American world hegemony is not only acceptable but also desirable and necessary,
for such a status makes the country omnipotent, so that it can do whatever it finds
appropriate in the world at any time3.
In these documents, the American specialists in strategic planning also
considered counteracting European monetary union and creating a new Atlantic
empire under the aegis of the USA, which would include Eurasia and a number of
post-Soviet countries, first of all, Ukraine and Belarus. Claims to world hegemony in
some of these documents are expressed straightforwardly: “After deconstruction of
the Soviet Union, it will be thousand-year-long rule of the American Empire”.
Whatever is one’s attitude to the USA and to insufficient effectiveness of
American presidents Clinton, Bush or Obama, one should admit that the
abovementioned strategic goals have been successfully achieved. We can be sure
that whoever is elected the USA president and whatever his promises and programs
are, the strategy of international policy and “mandate for power” will stay the same.
2. Russia’s counteraction to monopolar world
However, in 2014 the USA faced an unforeseen difficulty. In contrast to
previous Russian leaders, who relied on opinion of Western experts and consistently
weakened Russia’s position in international geopolitics, the Russian president
Vladimir Putin as early as in his Munich speech (2007) declared straightforwardly that
this strategy of the USA is definitely unsuitable for Russia, which has its own strategic
interests.
Let me briefly remind you the main ideas of the President’s speech:
3 The first manifestation of such specific attitude to international rights was bombing Yugoslavia in
1999 without the UN mandate, then bombing Iraq in 2003 and later supporting opposition in Libya,
Syria etc. which aimed at overthrowing these countries ‘governments.

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Monopolar model is neither acceptable nor even possible in the contemporary
world.
Legal system of a single state (the USA) is now expanded outside its borders
and coerced onto other states in areas of economy, politics and humanitarian issues.
The USA does not observe agreements on weapon control strictly enough,
and it conceals the information on amount of weapons.
Despite the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and principles
declared by our Western partners after dissolution of the Warsaw Treaty
Organization, the NATO draws its forces closer to Russian borders.
Western policy towards countries of the third world is rather cynical: giving
charity on the one hand and keeping these countries economically undeveloped for
gaining benefits, on the other.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is being turned into
a vulgar instrument of a single country or a group of countries pursuing their interests
in relation to other countries.
Let us quote the main conclusion which the President Putin made in his
speech: “Russia is a country with more than thousand years of history, and it has
always been entitled to have independent foreign policy. Nowadays, we are not going
to betray this tradition”.
Of course, such declarations do not result from merely emotional decisions.
There had been a period of preparation, when adequate conditions for this statement
had been formed. By that time, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU, 2000) had
been established, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization created in 2001 by leaders
of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan had already been
functioning and joined by India and Pakistan in 2015 (the SCO countries have 60% of
Eurasian territory and are inhabited by half of the world’s population).
Later, the Customs Union was established, which includes Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kirgizia and Russia, and the petroleum consortium was also joined by
companies from Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana and Cuba as well as other countries.
Strategic partnership with countries of Latin America developed, such as Argentina,
Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Ecuador etc. In 2011 the Russian president
Putin suggested discussing a possibility for the Eurasian Union to function as a
linking mechanism between Asian Pacific region and the European Union. This
initiative suggested by Russia was obstructed for obvious reasons.

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However, Russia maintained its position. In response to the NATO’s drawing
closer to Russian borders and placing anti-missile systems in neighbouring countries,
Russia carried out reforms in the Army, developed new and more efficient weapons
and modified its military doctrine.
Of course, such a leader of the biggest nuclear power was not acceptable for
the USA and was against its plans and strategic goals. That is why there were
attempts to displace the undesired Russian leader by means of “colour revolution”
method which had been successfully used in other countries. However, political
rallies on Bolotnaya Square in 2011-2013 (“white ribbon” rallies), “The Russian
March” and other anti-Putin actions were unsuccessful and gradually ran out.
After that, search for other ways of “persuading” Russia was inevitable. In this
context, national crisis and coup in Ukraine, which was not related to Russia,
separatist tendencies of Donbass population and Malaysia Flight hit over Ukraine
seemed rather convenient. Without much investigation, Western leaders and media
blamed Russia for all these events indiscriminately, and then, under the pressure
from the USA, massive sanctions were introduced aimed at undermining the Russian
economy. Russia with its strong leader is not suitable for the USA.
However, in contrast to what might have been expected, the sanctions did not
influence the Russian society very much and resulted in increased patriotic spirit,
especially after incorporation of Crimea, so that citizens stand together with their
leader, who is very popular among them.
It is true that relation between Russia and the USA will fluctuate and might
become warmer, especially in respect to common threats or mutual interests, but
strategic direction of American policy will probably stay the same.
Very few authors have not written about shortcomings of the Russian external,
internal and economic policy in post-Perestroika period yet, so I will try to avoid
discussing this topic.
The world economic crisis aggravated for Russia
Of course, the world economic crisis of 2008 had not been intentionally
planned. It had been ripening for rather long time, but nobody wanted to notice it, and
it seems like nobody wants to explore or reveal its deeper mechanisms. The only
pragmatic result of the crisis was crush of long-existing illusion that “the market itself
can regulate everything”. Moreover, leaders of the G20 gathered in London on April
1, 2009 and signed declaration on rescuing the world economy by means of state

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regulation. Many people thought that Russia would get certain advantages in this
case, because the Soviet economy was based on such methods, and there were
thousands of specialists in this area in the country. Unfortunately, these hopes did
not come true.
As we know, value of the rouble is still connected to oil price. In the end of
2015, the EU Council suddenly postponed for 11 months the embargo on Iranian oil
accepted in 2012, and it could be about 10−15% of the world market; meanwhile, a
law in the USA, which had prohibited oil export for a few decades, was cancelled. It is
natural that these factors, together with temporary decreased oil demand in main
consumers, inevitably influenced energy resource market and caused additional
decrease in the value of the rouble.
This decrease did not reach its maximum and will probably continue in 2016,
so that it might negatively influence Russian economy and society. As in all such
cases, all branches of power are typically blamed for situation with food and
commodities markets, healthcare, education and social welfare systems. It is quite
natural indeed. However, the most important thing in this situation is to maintain
social stability in the society and to keep trusting the authorities; thus, all parties and
movements should have special commitments, the authorities should be responsible
for actively counteracting any attempts to destabilize the situation, and humanitarian
society should be involved in active social therapy. This should not be understood as
a plea to fight the crisis by establishing autocracy. It means, first of all, firm policy of
the state relying on healthy resource of society, so that a qualitatively new level of
societal trust and partnership of people and authorities would gradually develop. A
specific task is to give maximal freedom to private economic initiatives and to
stimulate personal responsibility of citizens who are able to overcome long-term crisis
by being self-employed. This idea should determine all parties’ and movements’
lawmaking initiatives and explanatory efforts.
Perhaps, the situation is not that bad, but open and understandable
explanatory policy for wider audience is required anyway, as well as possible shift to
mobilization economy. Many people are somewhat scared by such an idea, but
mobilization economy is not synonymous to Gulag.

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3. World crisis of ideas and institutions of democracy
Formulation of the problem
Almost all media of the world show us cruel crimes committed by the ISIS (the
organization forbidden in Russia) against humanity and culture. These crimes are so
abhorring and vivid that there is no way to doubt what we read, watch and hear about
them. However, this terrorist organization is continuously joined by young people not
only from Islamic countries but also from Western Europe and post-Soviet countries.
We can suggest that there is something attractive for young people in the ISIS. Let
us try to understand, what it could be. In order to do it, we will need to critically review
some ideas that have already become traditional part of the contemporary worldview.
These are ideas of democracy and justness, which propel progress and globalization.
Ideas of democracy: period of illusions and hopes
Let us start with analysis of development and current condition of the society.
Development of contemporary democracy as the main principle of societal structure
in Western Europe could be undoubtedly connected to ideas of the Enlightenment
and the Great French Revolution (1789), which became a turning point of
contemporary history and facilitated wide spread of such notions as civil rights,
equality and freedom acquired by any individual at birth.
These ideas found their symbolic expression in very simple, understandable
and powerful slogan: “Liberty, equality, fraternity”. Actually, it was a new kind of faith,
that is, faith in greatness of liberated spirit and individuality.
At the same time, this slogan implied the idea of natural equality of all people
in respect to their abilities and endowments, while all existing forms of inequality
were viewed as artificial and caused by unfair society and its morally outdated
institutions. It was thought that getting rid of these institutions would help individuals
express their spiritual and physical grandeur.
It was the first and the main fallacy. Contemporary science, as well as
historical and social experience of mankind, proves that people are not equal in their
physical, spiritual and intellectual qualities, and even Karl Marx mentioned that
“nothing can be done with it”. However, European, traditionally Christian civilization in
the last two centuries has relied upon principles of human rights and liberties, which
were outlined first in The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen and then in
the middle of the ХХ century in The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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Modernization of democratic illusions
Although the declared principles of liberty, equality and fraternity have
appeared to be an illusion or a fallacy, they have not been reconsidered yet;
however, in the ХХ century they changed significantly.
Liberal ideology that adopted ideas of the Enlightenment and declared priority
of economic freedom, resulting in even more obvious inequality, inevitably led to
development of socialist, communist and other similar ideas. In some countries, like
Austria and Switzerland, these ideas were implemented in rather civilized way, but in
other countries they transformed into Bolshevism or Nazism or “modern capitalism”,
the notion that has not been properly explored yet. Liberal economy brought about
liberal moral, which has been almost wanton for long time; but its analysis is far
beyond the frames of this paper.
The reason is quite obvious, that is dehumanization of ideas of the
Enlightenment, which have gradually lost their “equality and fraternity” component.
Actually, only the idea of economic freedom stays in this “new edition” of modernized
West-European ideology, in a new illusory form of slogan of “equal opportunities”,
which is also impossible for individuals as well as for countries and people. In result,
universal ideas of “equality and fraternity” were replaced by partial notions of
“proletarian solidarity”, “socialist consolidation” etc., including ideas of the European
Union or the Islamic State that appeared later.
One of the main characteristics of “modern capitalism” has been rarely
discussed, that is, a new class of “humiliated and insulted” came into being, which
replaced the classical proletariat. These are hired specialists, both blue collars and
highly qualified and educated professionals, who have almost no rights and social
guarantees in comparison to their employers; for them, the term “precariat” was
coined, which means “unstable, dangerous”4.
At the same time, it was declared that democracy is the best societal system,
and the most peaceful one. However, there are threats to democracy, which were
discussed as early as after the First World war, when the USA President Woodrow
Wilson clearly defined the goal of the massacre in the following way: to make the
world safe for democracy. The rest of the world’s problems did not bother democratic
leaders at the beginning of the ХХ century.
4 Precariat, from precarious, refers to people who are involved in insecure working relationships that
can be broken at any time by their employer.

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Let me remind you that at the beginning of the ХХ century leading European
countries (which were democracies or democracies-to-be) had almost the whole
world turned into their colonies. The biggest colonial empires were the UK, Germany,
Holland, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the USA and France. In the middle of the ХХ century
some former colonies acquired independence; these countries are called “the third
world countries”, and many of them are still sources of raw material and cheap
workforce for their former metropolises. International corporations minimize their
expenses by placing their production, first of all mining and manufacturing industry
and mass commodity production, in these countries.
It is important to notice that mixed or colonial administration in the third world
countries, which was shamelessly robbing national resource, was replaced by
national administration adopting the same colonial type of management directed at
gaining maximal benefits and suppressing the population. In result, corrupted
totalitarian regimes were established in many countries of the third world.
These regimes cannot be characterized in any positive way, but they
maintained stability in these regions. Here it is appropriate to mention that Thomas
Hobbes, a forerunner of democracy, in his work Leviathan writes that there are
various religions and lifestyles, various ideas and ideals, and there are countries in
which only powerful tyrant can coerce people to peaceful co-existence with others.
Otherwise, infightings and wars are inevitable.
This idea was neglected (or just the opposite was the case), when at the
beginning of the ХХI century the USA leaders suddenly forgot about two-century-long
struggle for individuals’ right to dissent and decided to bring democracy to countries
and regions that had no preconditions for it. First of all, citizens there were not
economically independent from the state, not to mention specifics of national and
religious customs and traditions. It is well-known what were the results of these
actions for Iraq, Libya and Syria, and then for Europe. The Russian President asked
Western leaders a reasonable question on September 28, 2015: “Have you
understood at last what you’ve done?”
Democracy: its achievements and vices
Nobody would deny that sophisticated spiritual and material culture has been
created by united effort of European people. But this culture is not the only one,
indeed. There was a tendency in the last century to mistake culture for technical
progress. And technical progress was mistaken for civilizing process, which is

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narcissistically identified by leaders of economically developed countries exclusively
with the European civilization that is only about 21% of the Earth’s population.
It is an obvious fallacy. I have repeatedly asked different people the following
question: “Is it true that the entire non-European world (79% of the Earth’s
population) strives to join this civilization, seemingly reputable and fragrant, but also
stinking with alcohol, unfaith, drugs, dissolution of families, prostitution, pornography,
disloyal friendships, double standards and corruption?” All these things are usually
called “Western lifestyle” and “consumption society”. As I will show later, it appeared
that it is not attractive for everyone, even in the Western world. This lifestyle leaves
less and less place for elevated meanings and morality, which are replaced by
commodity fetishism and sacralisation of material well-being.
Democratic slogans are still declared but not confirmed by everyday reality.
Ideas of democracy have become disrepair and discredited in the last two centuries,
and they do not inspire people anymore to go to barricades and die, as previously.
Let us mention one more important argument: in the recent thirty years crime rates
increased in 3-4 times in the world, and in the most democratic countries such as the
USA in 6-8 times. Average increase in crime rate in the world is about 5% per year. It
happens in the context of quantitative growth of various law enforcement structures
aimed at protecting ideals of democracy. Has the world become a safer place, then?
A few details of globalization process
Globalization can be discussed in detail and described from different
perspectives, i.e., geopolitical, economic, social etc. However, there are a few
markers of this process without which its understanding is incomplete.
Money has gradually lost its main function and turned into a specific
commodity that cannot be kept for long time. Acquisition of new territories is not
accompanied anymore with development of production and inhabiting new lands.
The most common version now is depletion it of natural resource and qualified
educated workforce relocated to countries, which are leaders of globalization. At the
same time, transmitting technologies to countries that are not leaders of globalization
is restricted.
Finally, popular slogan “we all are in the same boat” got a sarcastic ending: “…
but some are there as others’ meal”, and it is a reality for many countries and people.
People are more and more segregated in respect to their income, which is especially
true for those who deal with natural resource export and bank capital (which do not

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produce anything but financial operations), so that highly paid managers earn
hundreds or even thousands time more than poor professionals (“precariat”). Almost
in any country there is a group of “more equal” people, whose impunity is
proportional to their money. A question arises: is it true that democracy is the highest
stage of human development?
Something has changed in the contemporary world, and it has not been
properly reflected upon yet. Contemporary democratic discourse does not give
European people any direction of societal development, moral ideals and meanings
of life. Sublime culture has been replaced with mass culture, elevated politics with
populism and high morality with moral poverty. In result, still declared democratic
principles of “liberty, equality, fraternity” and even previously popular slogan of
“peaceful co-existence” sound more and more cynical now. But they have not been
reconsidered yet.
It is necessary to admit that hopes of French thinkers of the Enlightenment
have not been fulfilled. With development of democracy, the world has not become a
better or safer place, and what is even more important, it has not gained more
justness.
4. Idea of justness
People have been looking for new models of state and societal structures for
thousands of years, and contemporary world order has been formed in accordance
with slogan of fight for justness. The idea of justness has attracted the best thinkers
of humanity, and it has propelled reforms, revolutions and multiple wars.
Idea of justness is closely connected to ideology, the main function of which is
to smooth tensions, that is, to create a system which would give socially acceptable
explanations to current tensions. In absence of official or unofficial ideology, such
tensions will inevitably accumulate, and if they are not timely noticed and corrected,
they will lead to social outbursts.
Since times of Aristotle, two kinds of justness have been discerned:
equalizing, as in the USSR, and distributive justness. The distributive justness
implies that somebody gets or takes the role of distributor, who establishes order and
justness in society. This figure is responsible for all forms of unjustness.
There are a few theories explaining the concept of justness; let us outline the
theory which is most frequently mentioned in public discussions. This theory, so-
called humanitarian theory of justness, states that on the one hand, all people should

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have equal rights, and on the other, economic relations should be structured in such
a way that the least successful members of society should become the most
privileged ones.
The latter principle was called “fair inequality principle” and was expressed in
slogan of “anybody’s right for descent level of living”. This concept was criticized on
reasonable grounds because the principle of social justness actually removes
competitiveness from society and leads to uncompetitive economy, as it was vividly
proved by experience of “building socialism” in the USSR.
That is why such approaches should be considered “anti-social” from the point
of view of any state and society. To be adequate for contemporary development of
society, ideology should explain the opposition between the principle of justness and
interests of society in general, as well as other similar problems.
Let us repeat that people are not equal in respect to their endowments and
qualities, and any equalizing system goes against natural laws and principles of
economic and social development of society.
However, in any society there is an idea of justness in respect to difference in
people’s incomes, which might be perceived as unfair when it is too big. In absence
of ideology (and restricting factors of economic differentiation imposed by it), certain
level of dissatisfaction and aggression in society, which is stirred by anything
perceived as unfair, might lead to destabilization of society.
Certain degree of destabilization is typical for the entire democratic world,
which enters a new epoch now and suffers from systemic crisis of its paradigm of
development. As the author predicted 20 years ago5, this change might be rather
painful and “non-civilized”. And it has already begun, perhaps.
On “non-Muslim” terrorism
Although people all over the world feel anxious about Islamist terrorism, they
much more often have to face “everyday fanaticism” and criminal or semi-criminal
terrorism carried out by their compatriots in their own countries. For one international
terrorist act, there are hundreds of “local” ones, which are usually classified as
5 Reshetnikov M. M., Contemporary Russian Mentality: Psychohistorical Analysis. — Мoscow:
Russian News, 1995. — 192 pp.

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“shooting sprees” at school or at work, “home violence” or mugging, and in some
cases are not classified at all.
Actually, these two types of terrorism are only different in respect to the scale
of threat and number of victims, as well as political demands and media coverage.
The whole world cannot see the parallel between them, however. In result, our
understanding of contemporary social processes is obviously halted, because
something is not properly reflected upon and spoken about.
Let us refer to Prof. James Fox from the Boston University (2011), who
analyses growing terrorist spirit in the country that is frequently called “the most
democratic one”: he says that in the American society there is certain amount of
people who are angry and disappointed with the whole world; they feel that their life
is destroyed, and they do not want to live. So, they decide to make a cruel revenge
upon those who, in their opinion, is responsible for their misfortune and have not
given them any chance to cope with their problems. They choose between suicide
and massacre, and often they commit both. As we know, the number of such cases
is increasing. These terrorist acts (Lanza in the USA, Breivik in Norway, Vinogradov
in Moscow and others representatives of titular nations) have nothing to do with
Islamist terrorism. It could be suggested, perhaps, that in addition to external reasons
of growing aggression there are some internal ones.
Development of humankind, as well as any change in society and economy,
has been to significant degree propelled by slogans of “fight against unjustness” and
attempts to establish fair economic and social-psychological relationships between
people. However, these slogans were not relevant to real social-economic
relationships, so previously claimed ideas have been gradually discredited.
These slogans exhausted their potential, as it was getting more and more
obvious that progress is facilitated not by elevated ideas but rather, as Friedrich
Engels mentioned, by striving for power and greed. These strivings, acted out by
authorities, first led to discrediting of elevated slogans and ideas, and then to
inevitable change of social-economic relationships and formations.
We witness the same process now, perhaps, because still declared
democratic principles and slogans are not connected anymore with real life and real
politics. It is necessary to admit the facts, get rid of illusions and consistently explain
to the next generations that life of individuals and societies is determined not by
ideas of equality and fraternity, but by intense competition. With exhaustion of the

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Earth’s natural resource this competition will only increase. If we want to protect
ourselves as a whole nation and an integral state, we need not only develop but
actively compete with other countries and nations.
Let me add something here. In 1998 I had a chance to meet one of the
founders of German psychoanalytic school Prof. Helmut Thomae. We discussed
different topics including warming in relations between Russia and the West.
However, Professor Thomae doubted that this process would last for long. He said:
“At the moment, it is just an expression of interest to you. It will get exhausted soon.
Hitler was in power for only 12 years. After that, Germans were hated and feared for
about twenty more years. And you were hated and feared for seventy years. These
feelings will persist for hundred more years. It is said that there is only one step from
love to hatred; but the way back is much longer”. I think it would be a mistake not to
notice that anti-Russian mood exists and is artificially cultivated, first of all, in post-
Soviet republics, and this problem requires special work and active counteraction.
5. Quantitative growth of terrorist organizations and their qualitative
transformation
Previously, terrorists had underground organizations and performed singular
raids. From this point of view, history of the Islamic State (forbidden in Russia), which
has occupied some land and established its own regular army, is a qualitatively new
stage in development of contemporary terrorism.
First of all, let us outline the ISIS history, although the task is not simple. This
history is incomplete, fragmentary and contradictory. We will try to describe it with
minimum of emotional estimations. The exact date of establishment of this
organization is unknown. It is thought that its nucleus was formed by a radical
Islamist Sunni group; there were a lot of such groups in period between Iraqi wars. In
addition, most analysts connect establishment of the ISIS with Arab Socialist Ba’ath
Party, which for long time was led by Saddam Hussein. Ba’ath ideology was based
on ideas of Arab nationalism of Sunni kind and socialism. It is necessary to
remember that in time of Hussein, after previous long colonial and semi-colonial
history of the country, level of living in Iraq was one of the highest in Arab world, and
people’s respect to army was unprecedentedly high.
After seizure of Bagdad, American troops led Shiite majority to power and
started massive purges, so that Ba’ath members and followers were fired from all
state structures. Former head of American administration in Iraq Paul Bremer

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admitted informing Ba’ath leaders that they would not be allowed to work in the
government. In result, thousands of governmental servants, officers and policemen,
who had previously been elite of Iraqi society, lost their job, financial and social
status and were persecuted by occupational forces and radical Shiite fanatics.
As moderate believers who are tolerant to other confessions, including
atheism, we have difficulties in our attempts to understand religious fanatics. But
Shiite for Sunni (and otherwise, and also Alawites, including Assad) are heretics in
initial sense of the word, and the attitude to them is similar to what was in Europe 500
years ago, when heretics were burnt by Inquisition in presence of jubilant crowds.
We should not also forget that in the East such concepts as faith, status,
hierarchy, kinship and reverence to elder and to authorities have completely different
social and individual meaning and content. Many of previously reputable
representatives of Iraqi society, party and army had to go to jail or to hide in order to
avoid capital punishment. The most important thing was that they and their families,
children as well as grandchildren perhaps, were deprived of their historical future.
That is why many of them had no other choice than to turn to idea of armed struggle
for power.
A number of experts suggest that Hussein’s followers formed the nucleus of
the ISIS. They were not just armed outcasts and not even Taliban but well-trained
armed forces. Many of Iraqi officers had been trained in Soviet military academies.
Former governmental officers of Hussein were people with European education and
experience of governmental management, who at the same time understood
importance of faith dogmata and role of ideology, political propaganda and image of
enemy.
Any revolt and struggle, its righteous or errant goals notwithstanding, is
connected to some infectious, powerful and emotionally appealing ideas, as well as
the group’s belief into its future. Such are ideas of socialism together with radical
Islam of Sunni kind. Many Western analysts write that these people hate our
civilization. It is not completely true: they cultivate despise to it and draw attention to
its abovementioned vices that are inappropriate for Islam (as well as for Christianity,
indeed).
“Islamic socialism” is growing into the strongest propagandist influence in
developed countries. Hundreds of millions dollars are spent on informational support
of the ISIS, dozens of thousands professionals of psychological war work for it in all

17. 1147Social Problems
countries, a few thousand informational resource spread propaganda in Arab,
English, German and Russian languages to attract young people. And they have
succeeded in that.
What is so attractive in them?
It is well-known that fanatical terrorists are mostly young people who are
maximalists, prone to romanticize any struggle, doubt all traditional rules and norms,
and often have rather aggressive psychological attitudes and values. In healthy
society, these natural psychological needs of young people are counterbalanced by
consolidated position of adult majority and by stable state (as an important parental
structure), so that gradually new generations become more adjusted.
The situation becomes qualitatively different when the adult majority also
suffers crisis of re-evaluation, societal unrest, re-consideration of established norms
etc., which is nowadays typical for the whole world, because, as it has been
mentioned above, it has entered a new epoch and is surviving a systemic crisis of
developmental paradigm shift.
We can refer to examples of young people being significant figures of crucial
historical events; let us start with the Great French Revolution. Marat was 19 when
he was inspired by idea of social change, and Robespierre by the age of 30 had
become one of the most influential political leaders and the ideologist of terror, who
stated that capital punishment is a duty of any revolutionary government. George
Washington, the USA President-to-be, at the age of 22 was a regiment commander
in the colonial war. Simon Bolivar had just joined rebels against Spanish rule at 27,
when he became a colonel and a governor of Puerto-Rico. Giuseppe Garibaldi at the
age of 26 was a member of secret society “Young Italy”. Lev Trotsky had been
inspired by ideas of revolution since his youth, and at the age of 18 (!) he created an
underground group of about 200 members. Che Guevara by the age of 26 had
become famous revolutionist. Arkady Gaidar, grandfather of Russian prime minister
of the time of reforms, was a member of Bolshevist Party at the age of 14, despite his
noble descent, and at the age of 17 was a commander of the Red Army regiment.
Such examples are abundant. Everybody knows these names, because these
people are part of the history. Why should one spend many years studying and
working, inventing or discovering something or writing scientific papers, if it is
possible to become famous as a political fighter? It is so seductive for young
activists!

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In the middle and the second half of the ХХ century there were massive anti-
imperialist rallies carried out mostly by young people, as usual. These rallies were
actively supported by the USSR as the main force counteracting capitalist ideology.
Dissolution of the Soviet system led to ideological “vacuum”, and nothing new or
interesting was suggested for young activists. In result, some young people’s activity
digressed to sex, alcohol and pop-culture. Others started looking for ideological
support different from democratic “vacuum” and imperialist lawlessness.
Exhausted and actively suppressed anti-imperialist movement was replaced
by anti-globalism, mostly joined by young people. But this movement, which has no
future, gradually becomes less heated. And young people are still trying to find their
ideals or something more meaningful than commodity fetishism and financial wealth.
In any society at any time there are some social activists with oppositionist
tendencies, who strive for change and passionately desire to be heard. This is
normal and natural. But if society and culture does not accept and discuss these
activists’ ideals, and the authorities do not provide them with adequate and modern
explanatory system, they can be easily transformed into social fanatics. In general,
destruction of any ideals and illusions can become a ground for “some kind of
insanity”, as Nicolay Berdyaev defined fanaticism. Here it is appropriate to mention
still declared democratic ideals and to see how they are verified in real life of
contemporary democratic society.
Why do they go to the ISIS?
Many analysts and journalists have repeatedly tried to answer this question. A
frequent answer is: “They go to the Middle East to find social justness”. But it is only
the most popular and, as it has been already mentioned, the most attractive slogan
actively used by recruiters.
The ISIS propagandists promise them much more than that: a new world, in
which there will be no rich and poor, “equal and more equal” people, servants and
masters, unjust judges, corruption and bribery, smoking and drugs, alcohol and
prostitution, double standards and same-sex marriages, pornography and gay-
parades, etc. Obviously, these ideas are just illusions and manipulations based on
the main factors of societal dissatisfaction. However, they sometimes appear to be
very attractive for young activists who are disappointed by the Western lifestyle.
I often have an opportunity to talk to students. Most of them agree that such
slogans are just illusions and admit that it is impossible to build such a society. But

19. 1149Social Problems
others object: “You’ve just submitted yourself to the idea that it’s impossible”. Still
others formulate it with dismay hopelessness: ”Even if it is impossible, we need to get
out of current moral stalemate, in which the world was led by totally deceitful Western
democracy and consumption society, which makes people live like cattle”.
There is information in Western media that thousands of people, including
ethnic Europeans, have joined the ISIS without immediately becoming Muslims.
Some analysts have mentioned that there have become more newcomers to terrorist
organizations from Western countries after the bank crisis of 2008, when all states
were saving banks rather than citizens with their financial debts (and citizens were
not given explanations that banks function as a blood system of economy which
cannot survive without them). Growing number of Islam banks all over the world is a
powerful tool of propaganda, because in accordance with Shariah laws they cannot
charge interest rate on loans (it does not mean that they work selflessly; they just
have different mechanisms of gaining their benefit).
We have already mentioned the USA’s striving for unconditional dominance in
the world and Russia’s attempt to counteract it. It is typical that some young activists
are quite sceptical about this opposition, as they think that however it is resolved, it
will not change the basis of lifestyle characteristic for democratic countries and will
not lead to cardinal change in strategies of world development. Some part of youth is
obviously not inspired by the current strategy. Therefore, many young activists from
Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the USA are ready to fight for the idea of a new
societal order, although they do not clearly understand, what it should be like. They
are just dissatisfied, and nobody has suggested them any new ideas, meanings or
model of the future. This model is vitally important, however.
In contemporary world about 1.5 milliard people are Islam believers. According
to data collected by informational portal LINGA (8.07.2015), which questioned people
in eleven Arab countries, about 8.5 million people are unconditional proponents of
the ISIS, and total number of Arab people who somehow support its actions and
ideology is up to 24 million. According to specialists, this statistics is first of all a result
of the ISIS’s successful and even unbeatable propaganda in the Arab world. In
absence of a different image of the future, nothing can be counterpoised to it, indeed.
The exact number of the ISIS combatants is unknown, and different specialists
estimate it as ranging from 30 thousand to 200 thousand people. Due to the fact that
these combatants have occupied and controlled vast lands with population more than

20. Social Problems
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2 million people, the latter estimate (100-200 thousand combatants) seems closer to
reality. Mutual effort of the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Western coalition will
inevitably lead to defeat of the ISIS combatants in Syria. These people would not just
disappear, however, but rather hide in neighbouring or distant countries and find
temporal shelter in their followers’ homes. I have already outlined findings of studies
in the Islamist terrorism, and in particular, mentioned that even after many years in
prison only 16% of combatants sentenced for terrorism do not plan to return to their
previous criminal activity6.
When we speak about terrorism, we usually characterize it as a result of
terrorists’ actions. But the question of reasons that made these people become
terrorists is the least explored one. Therefore, problem of counter-propaganda is still
unresolved.
How could that happen? Are there any historical parallels?
People all over the world are shocked and abhorred by these terrorists, who
murder innocent people and even babies. They cut their prisoners’ heads. They
drown chained people. Everyone who does not accept their faith is declared an
enemy and should inevitably die. They murder even muftis. They destroy sacred
places.
I believe that in wake of the October Revolution of 1917 anniversary we should
recall, and tell young people straightforwardly, what was going on in one so religious
and pious Orthodox country 100 years ago, when the slogan “liberty, equality and
fraternity” was declared, and cruel fight for justness began. There was no religious
ground for it, and its slogans were: “Factories to workers”, “Land to peasants” “Power
to people”, “Peace to the huts, war on the palaces”, “Viva the Red Terror” etc. These
ideas, despite absence of radio, TV, Internet and other modern media, soon inspired
the whole country, and millions of brainwashed people became involved into the
massacre.
Proletarians and poor peasants, who had never had any historic future, were
eager to believe that they were “progressive class” and “gravediggers of capitalism”.
They declared that other people, such as intelligentsia or wealthy peasants who
6 Reshetnikov M. M. Psycholoical Factors of Development and Stagnation of Democratic Reforms.
— Moscow: Moscow State University, 2014. — pp 230. Online: http://reshetnikov.org/ru/blog/
blog/344.html#cut.

21. 1151Social Problems
worked from morning till night, all those who could create something, as well as
soldiers and officers faithful to their Motherland, were “bourgeoisie and their
henchmen” and had to be exterminated. By that they meant not just dissolution of
this class but physical extermination of its representatives.
Let us compare the scale of these events. According to contemporary data
submitted by human rights organizations in Syria and Iraq in 2015, total number of
the ISIS victims is 10-20 thousand people, including women, children and muftis.
Dozens of religious sacred places and historical monuments have been desecrated.
During the Civil War (1917−1922) about 2.5 million people were murdered or
died from wounds in Russia. In result of terror, 2 more million were exterminated. Six
million starved or died from epidemics. More than 2 million had to emigrate from the
country. By 1948, about 63 thousand churches, out of 77 thousand churches that
were in Russia in 1914, were destroyed. In the single year 1937, about 136.900
Orthodox priests were arrested, and 85.300 of them were executed.
Proletariat was intoxicated by idea of equality and enjoyed the title of
“progressive class” and right to violence towards “enemy class”. Previously quite
tolerant and pious people developed pathological belief into this illusion, rejected the
faith of their ancestors and wallowed in bloodbath. The idea of new justness was very
seductive, though. Thousands of educated people, officers, students, intelligentsia
and even romantic representatives of capitalists were inspired with this idea and
joined the Red Army, repressive regiments or the Cheka. They were sincere in their
fight for justness, when they were murdering the entire families of their “class
enemies” including babies as representatives of the enemy class. The elder
generation remembers how it ended. First the replacement of the communist regime
(1991) was perceived with enthusiasm, but in the process of uncompromising
destruction of old formation, “the baby was thrown out with the bathwater”: traditional
Russian ideas and images of the future were rejected, but new ones were not
formed.
“Changes required by our hearts...”7
We still proceed on economic platform suggested by economists of 1990-s
and underestimate role and power of ideas. At the moment, we have found nothing to
counterpoise the ISIS ideology. Previous and current experience of humanity clearly
7 Line from lyrics of a song by a popular Russian rock-musician Victor Tsoi.

22. Social Problems
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shows that common land or common language or common history does not make
society united. The main consolidating factor is common future, and the future should
be clear and attractive.
The idea of justness is not only slogan but also marker. In human history,
discussion of justness and increase in level of unjustness develop in parallel.
Increased discussion of justness is a marker of need for change. Democracy is a
very contradictory societal institution because its slogans of liberty, equality and
fraternity, as well as ideas of justness and equal opportunities, are less and less
verified in real life.
We can be certain in one thing only: life meaning and justness are not to be
found but rather acquired in struggle; but this struggle should be carried out in
civilized ways.
References:
1. Psychology and Psychopathology of Terrorism // Collected Papers, edited by
Reshetnikov M. M. – Saint-Petersburg: East-European Psycho-analytical
Institute, 2004. – 352 p.
2. Reshetnikov M. Visions of the Future: Social Processes and Terrorism in Europe.
- Journal of Analytical Psychology (UK), 2008, Vol. 53, No. 5, p. 653-667.
3. Reshetnikov M. Psychology of War: from Local to Nuclear. Prognosis of Human
Behavior and Actions. - Saint-Petersburg: East-European Psychoanalytical
Institute, 2011. – 496 p.
4. Reshetnikov M. M. Psychological Factors of Development and Stagnation of
Democratic Reforms. — Moscow: Moscow State University, 2014. – 260 p.
5. Reshetnikov M. Methodological Approaches to the Psychological Analysis of
Ethnic Conflict and Ideal of Anti-Russiasm. - Intern. Scientific Periodical Journal
“The Unity of Science”. – Vienna, Austria - April 2015. – P. 118-222.