Radical, Religious, and Violent ─ The New Economics of Terrorism

How do radical religious sects run such deadly terrorist organizations? Hezbollah,Hamas, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the Taliban all began as religious groups dedicated to piety andcharity. Yet once they turned to violence, they became horribly potent, executing campaigns ofterrorism deadlier than those of their secular rivals. In [title], Eli Berman approaches thequestion using the economics of organizations. He first dispels some myths: radical religiousterrorists are not generally motivated by the promise of rewards in the afterlife (including theinfamous seventy-two virgins) or even by religious ideas in general. He argues that these terrorists(even suicide terrorists) are best understood as rational altruists seeking to help their owncommunities. Yet despite the vast pool of potential recruits--young altruists who feel theircommunities are repressed or endangered--there are less than a dozen highly lethal terroristorganizations in the world capable of sustained and coordinated violence that threatens governmentsand makes hundreds of millions of civilians hesitate before boarding an airplane. What's specialabout these organizations, and why are most of their followers religious radicals?Drawing onparallel research on radical religious Jews, Christians, and Muslims, Berman shows that the mostlethal terrorist groups have a common characteristic: their leaders have found a way to controldefection. Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Taliban, for example, built loyalty and cohesion by means ofmutual aid, weeding out "free riders" and producing a cadre of members they could rely on.The secret of their deadly effectiveness lies in their resilience and cohesion when incentives todefect are strong.These insights suggest that provision of basic social services by competentgovernments adds a critical, nonviolent component to counterterrorism strategies. It undermines theviolent potential of radical religious organizations without disturbing free religious practice,being drawn into theological debates with Jihadists, or endangering civilians.

Eli Berman is Professor of Economics at the University of California, San Diego, and Research Director of International Security Studies at the University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation.