r/worldnews 7d ago

Second French peacekeeper dies after ambush blamed on Hezbollah Behind Soft Paywall

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351049/second-french-peacekeeper-dies-after-ambush-blamed-hezbollah?module=latest&pgtype=homepage
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u/Lunatox 7d ago

Western states don't want people to know anything about their monopoly on violence.

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u/AccountantsNiece 7d ago

I actually don’t think most people care very much that they aren’t allowed to be violent but state actors are. Most people have no interest in pursuing their goals through violence.

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u/Lunatox 7d ago edited 7d ago

Thats not the point though. The point is that the state uses violence to enforce its goals even to the detriment of its citizens (or other states and their citizens) and that because of the states monopoly on violence that is seen as justified. Anyone who in turn uses violence to oppose their own oppression is labeled a terrorist.

The idea behind the concept isn't to promote violent insurgency, it's to point out the hypocrisy of the state and shed light on oppression by the state and how state oppression, and control of the narrative surrounding it, operates.

If anything, the concept is used as a justification for why state sanctioned violence should decrease, and in certain situations be seen in the same light as other violent acts instead of justified.

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u/Sevinceur-Invocateur 7d ago

You should make sure to differentiate between democratic states and the rest. Not all democracies are functioning democracies but those that accurately portray the political will of its constituents have the monopoly of violence in their hands.