Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T18:19:59.314Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The formation of terrorist groups: an analysis of Irish republican organizations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 January 2017

ANTONY W. DNES  and
GRAHAM BROWNLOW
ANTONY W. DNES*
Affiliation:
Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise, Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL, 33801, USA
GRAHAM BROWNLOW*
Affiliation:
Queen's Management School, Queen's University, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
*
*Email: adnes@flsouthern.edu
**Email: Graham.brownlow@qub.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We examine the history of the organization of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and assess whether Republican terrorism reflected the possession of valuable group-specific human capital within the terrorist cell. The analysis is motivated by economic models of the formation of specialized groups. We also note the public-goods co-ordination problem facing terrorist groups, given their inability to use mainstream enforcement mechanisms. Of particular interest are four well-defined historical examples of factionalism within the IRA. The history of Irish republicanism is consistent with the prediction that increasing the opportunities for cell members outside of life in the organization, particularly through amnesty, destabilizes the organization but leaves a hardcore of remaining terrorists. The gap between terrorist characteristics and those belonging to members of wider society is more gradated than predicted.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Institutional Economics , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , September 2017 , pp. 699 - 723
Copyright
Copyright © Millennium Economics Ltd 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abrahms, M. (2004), ‘Are Terrorists Really Rational? The Palestinian Example’, Orbis, 48: 533–549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alchian, A. and Demsetz, H. (1972), ‘Production, Information Costs, and Economic Organization’, American Economic Review, 62: 777–795.Google Scholar
Allen, D. W. and Reed, C. (2006), ‘The Duel of Honor: Screening for Unobservable Social Capital’, American Law and Economics Review, 8: 81–115.Google Scholar
Alonso, R. (2007), The IRA and Armed Struggle, London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Bean, K. (2008), ‘The Economic and Social War Against Violence: British Social and Economic Strategy and the Evolution of Provisionalism’, in Edwards, A. and Bloomer, S. (eds.), Transforming the Peace Process in Northern Ireland From Terrorism to Democratic Politics, Dublin: Irish Academic Press.Google Scholar
Becker, G. (1968), ‘Crime and Punishment: An Economic Approach’, American Economic Review, 76: 169–217.Google Scholar
Becker, G. and Rubenstein, Y. (2011), ‘Fear and Response to Terrorism: An Economic Analysis’, Brown University Economics Working Papers, http://www.econ.brown.edu/fac/yona_rubinstein/Research/Working%20Papers/BR_FEB_2011.pdf.Google Scholar
Bell, B. J. (1990), The Secret Army: the IRA 1916-1979. Dublin: Poolbeg.Google Scholar
Benabou, R. and Tirole, J. (2003), ‘Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation’, Review of Economic Studies, 70: 489–520.Google Scholar
Beuno de Mesquita, E. (2008), ‘The Political Economy of Terrorism: A Selective Overview of Recent Work’, The Political Economist, 10: 1–12.Google Scholar
Beuno de Mesquita, E. and Dickson, E. (2007), ‘The Propaganda of the Deed: Terrorism, Counterterrorism and Mobilization’, American Journal of Political Science, 51: 364–381.Google Scholar
Bishop, P. and Mallie, E. (1987), The Provisional IRA. London: Heinemann.Google Scholar
Blomberg, S. B., Gaibulloev, K., and Sandler, T. (2011), ‘Terrorist Group Survival: Ideology, Tactics, and Base of Operations’, Public Choice, 149: 441–463.Google Scholar
Brownlow, G. (2012), ‘Towards an Acceptable Level of Violence: Institutional Lessons from Northern Ireland’, Terrorism and Political Violence, 24: 722–744.Google Scholar
Burton, F. (1978), The Politics of Legitimacy: Struggles in a Belfast Community, London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Collard, D. (1978), Altruism and Economy: A Study in Non-selfish Economics, London: Martin Robertson.Google Scholar
De Figueirdo, R. and Weingast, B. (2001), ‘Vicious Cycles: Endogenous Political Extremism and Political Violence’, Institute of Governmental Studies Working Paper, 2001–2009.Google Scholar
Dnes, A. W. (2013), ‘Rogue Groups in Business’, Managerial & Decision Economics, 34: 502–513.Google Scholar
Dnes, A. W. and Garoupa, N. (2010), ‘Behavior, Human Capital and the Formation of Gangs’, Kyklos, 63: 517–529.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Edwards, A. (2011), ‘When Terrorism as Strategy Fails: Dissident Irish Republicans and the Threat to British Security’, Studies in Conflicts & Terrorism, 34: 318–336.Google Scholar
English, R. (2003), Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA, London: Macmillan.Google Scholar
English, R. (2009), Terrorism: How to Respond, Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
English, R. (2016) Does Terrorism Work? A History, Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Flynn, B. (2009), Soldiers of Folly: the IRA Border Campaign 1956-1962, Cork: Collins.Google Scholar
Foreman-Peck, J. and Moore, S. C. (2010), ‘Gratuitous Violence and the Rational Offender Model’, International Review of Law and Economics, 30: 160–172.Google Scholar
Frampton, M. (2010), The Return of the Militants: Violent Dissident Republicans, London: International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence, King's College, University of London.Google Scholar
Frey, B. S. and Luechinger, S. (2003), ‘How to Fight Terrorism: Alternatives to Deterrence’, Defence and Peace Economics, 14: 237–249.Google Scholar
Frey, B. S. and Luechinger, S. (2004), ‘Decentralization as a Disincentive to Terror’, European Journal of Political Economy, 20: 504–515.Google Scholar
Frey, B. S., Luechinger, S., and Stutzer, A. (2007), ‘Calculating Tragedy: Assessing the Costs of Terrorism’, Journal of Economic Surveys, 21: 1–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frey, B. (1997), Not Just for the Money—An Economic Theory of Personal Motivation, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.Google Scholar
Garoupa, N., Klick, J., and Parisi, F. (2009), ‘Terrorism’, in Garoupa, N. (ed.), Criminal Law and Economics, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.Google Scholar
Gilbert, F. (2006), Yob Nation: The Truth About Britain's Yob Culture. London: Portrait.Google Scholar
Hanley, B and Millar, S. (2009), The Lost Revolution: The Story of the Official IRA and the Workers' Party. Dublin: Penguin Ireland.Google Scholar
Independent International Monitoring Commission (2008), Nineteenth Report of The Independent Monitoring Commission, Command Paper 7464.Google Scholar
Independent International Monitoring Commission (2010), Twenty-Third Report of the Independent Monitoring Commission, London: The Stationary Office.Google Scholar
Landes, W. (1978), ‘An Economic Study of US Aircraft Hijacking, 1961-1976’, Journal of Law and Economics, 21: 1–31.Google Scholar
Leeson, P. (2009), The Invisible Hook, Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Moloney, E. A. (2002), A Secret History of the IRA, London: Penguin.Google Scholar
Morrison, J. and Horgan, J. (2016), ‘Reloading the Armalite? Victims and Targets of Violent Dissident Irish Republicanism, 2007-2015’, Terrorism and Political Violence, 28: 576–597.Google Scholar
O'Doherty, M. (1998), The Troubles With Guns: Republican strategy and the Provisional IRA, Belfast: Blackstaff Press.Google Scholar
O'Leary, B. (2007), ‘The IRA Looking Back; Mission Accomplished?’, in Heiberg, M., O'Leary, B. and Tirman, J. (eds), Terror, Insurgency, and the State, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.Google Scholar
Olson, M. (1965), The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups, Cambridge, MA: Harvard.Google Scholar
Phillips, P. J. and Pohl, G. (2014), ‘Prospect Theory and Terrorist Choice’, Journal of Applied Economics, 17: 139–60.Google Scholar
Pittel, K. and Dirk Rũbbelke, D. (2011), ‘Characteristics of Terrorism’, in Braddon, D. L. and Hartley, K. (eds.), Handbook on the Economics of Conflict, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.Google Scholar
Rosendorff, P. and Sandler, T. (2004), ‘Too Much of a Good Thing? The Proactive Response Dilemma’, Journal of Conflict Resolution, 48: 657–671.Google Scholar
Santifort-Jordan, C. and Sandler, T. (2014), ‘An Empirical Study of Suicide Terrorism: A Global Analysis’, Southern Economic Journal, 80: 981–1001.Google Scholar
Schelling, T. C. (1991), ‘What Purposes can “International Terrorism” serve?’, in Frey, R. G. and Morris, C. W. (eds.), Violence, Terrorism, and Justice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Shughart, W. (2011), ‘Terrorism in Rational Choice Perspective’, in Coyne, C. and Mathers, R. L. (eds.), The Handbook on the Political Economy of War, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.Google Scholar
Skarbek, D. (2012), ‘Prison Gangs, Norms and Organizations’, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 82: 96–109.Google Scholar
Skarbek, D. (2014), The Social Order of the Underworld: How Prison Gangs Govern the American Penal System, Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Smith, A. (1976), The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Smith, M. L. R. (1997), Fighting For Ireland? The Military Strategy of the Irish Republican Movement, London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Tullock, G. (1974), The Social Dilemma: the Economics of War and Revolution. Blacksburg: University Publications.Google Scholar
Venkatesh, P. (2008), Gang Leader for a Day, New York and London: Penguin.Google Scholar
Whiting, S. (2012), ‘The Discourse of Defence: “Dissident” Irish Republican Newspapers and the “Propaganda War”’, Terrorism and Political Violence, 24: 483–503.Google Scholar
Willamson, O. E. (1983), ‘Credible Commitments: Using Hostages to Support Exchange’, The American Economic Review, 73: 519–540.Google Scholar