A Comparative Analysis of Freedom Fighters and Terrorists

This essay delves into the critical distinctions between freedom fighters and terrorists, arguing that despite the use of violence, they are fundamentally different. It highlights three key arguments: the differing objectives, the nature of their activities, and the organization of their movements. The essay contrasts the goals of freedom fighters, which are typically aimed at liberation and improving the quality of life, with the often selfish and destructive motives of terrorists. It also differentiates the peaceful protest methods often employed by freedom fighters, like Gandhi and Mandela, from the violent tactics consistently used by terrorists. Furthermore, the essay examines the contrasting approaches to garnering support, with freedom fighters often relying on mass movements and democratic leadership, while terrorists typically operate in small, individualistic groups due to their lack of widespread appeal. Through these arguments, the essay concludes that freedom fighters and terrorists are distinct entities, despite their shared use of violence, and that their differences are crucial for understanding their roles and impacts on society.

Running head: FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND TERRORISTS
ARE FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND TERRORISTS THE SAME?
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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As stated by Eager (2016), an important debate which had been ranging since the
traditional times is whether the freedom fighters and the terrorists are the same since the
individuals related to both of these categories often resort to the usage of violence. Asongu et al.
(2019) are of the viewpoint that a common aspect between both freedom fighters and terrorists is
the high level of discontent that they have towards the existing societal condition and also the
manner in which the nation or the territories to which they belong are being governed by its
government. More importantly, the activities of both of these groups of individuals are directed
against the ruling government, disrupt the normal way of life and also fueled with the desire to
attain certain objectives (Laqueur, 2017). However, there is a significant difference between the
terrorists and the freedom fighters despite the fact that both of these groups of individuals take
the help of violence for the attainment of their objectives or goals (Magen, 2018). The activities
undertaken by the terrorists are meant for the fulfillment of their own selfish desires however the
activities undertaken by the freedom fighters are fueled by the desire to do greater good and also
improvement of the quality of life led by the common people. The purpose of this paper is to
show that the freedom fighters and the terrorists are different from each other through the usage
of three arguments which outline the differences between the two in terms of their objectives, the
nature of the activities which are being undertaken by them and also the manner in which the
different protests or the movements are being organized by them.
An analysis of the activities undertaken by the different freedom fighters in the various
nations of the world over the years show that many of them have actually taken the help of non-
violent peaceful protests for the attainment of their goals whereas the terrorists always use
violent measures. Asongu and Nwachukwu (2018) are of the viewpoint that the different
freedom fighters like Mahatama Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and others for the liberation of their

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nation from the yoke of exploitative government adopted the method of peaceful protests and
even forbade their followers from indulging in violent activities. Furthermore, Gandhi stopped
the Civil Disobedience Movement when India was very close to attaining freedom from the
British Government due to the usage of violent measures by his followers (Mironova, 2019).
Similarly, Nelson Mandela also forbade his followers during the Apartheid Movement of South
Africa despite the fact that the usage of violent measures would have helped South Africa to
attain freedom much earlier (Kaplan, 2017). Thus, it can be said that the different freedom
fighters over the years had taken the help of peaceful protests for the attainment of their goals or
objectives so as to not to cause any harm to their fellow citizens or the individuals related to the
ruling government. However, the usage of violent measures is an important characteristic feature
of the different terrorists over the years which as a matter of fact had become an integral part of
their very identity (Hone, 2017). This becomes apparent from the analysis of the recent terrorist
activities like the 9/11, 2008 Kandahar bombing, shooting on the Navy air station in Pensacola,
Florida and others (Ruggiero, 2019). This in turn is the most important distinguishing factor
between the terrorists and the freedom fighters which makes them apart from one another.
The terrorists are more motivated by the fulfillment of their own selfish desires which are
often very petty in nature in contrast to the freedom fighters who focus on the liberation of their
nation of yoke of exploitation or the derogatory government system. Medina (2018) is of the
viewpoints the primary objective of the different freedom fighters had been the liberation of their
nation or for that matter the improvement of the quality of life which the common people led.
Adding to this, Martin (2018) has noted that the different activities which are being undertaken
by the freedom fighters are intended for the achievement of the above mentioned goal, that is, the
liberation of their nation. For instance, even in the particular context of the nation of Canada, it

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was seen that the objective of the freedom fighters of the concerned nation was the liberation of
the nation from the yoke of colonial rule in the 18th and the 19th centuries (Laqueur, 2017).
However, at the same time it needs to be said that the objective of the different terrorists for the
terrorist or the violent activities undertaken by them are completely different in nature when
compared to the motive of the freedom fighters. For example, the majority of the times the
violent activities undertaken by the terrorists are fueled by their own personal selfish desires like
revenge, to put political pressure on the nations, the release of other terrorists, to disrupt the
normal life of the people and others (Kaplan, 2017). More importantly, there is no novelty in
these objectives and also they are very derogatory or for that matter unethical in nature when
compared to the objectives of the freedom fighters that drive them to fight for the liberation of
their mother nation (Mironova, 2019). In the light of these aspects, it can be said that the
differences in the objectives of the freedom fighters and the terrorists which drive them is an
important factor which create the difference between them and also distinguishes the freedom
fighters from the terrorists as well.
An important difference between the freedom fighters and the terrorists lies in the manner
in which the different protests or other related activities are being organized by them. Baele et al.
(2019) are of the viewpoint that an analysis of the different freedom fighters from the various
nations of the world over the years clearly indicates that the different movements or for that
matter the protests organized by the freedom fighters rely on the support of the masses. Adding
to this, Cohen et al. (2018) have noted that the novelty of the objectives of the freedom fighters
inspires the majority of the common people and thus it is seen that the majority of the common
people, that is, people from all backgrounds of the society, support the different movements or
the protests which are being organized by the freedom fighters. More importantly, the different

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freedom fighters understanding the fact that they require the support or the help of the common
people over the years have included them within the protests or the movements organized by
them and also offered adequate leadership to the general masses as well (Hone, 2017). This is
important since the success of the different freedom movements or the protests organized by the
freedom fighters substantially depend on the number of people participate in the same and also
the quality of leadership which is being offered by the freedom fighters as well. In this relation, it
needs to be said that Nelson Mandela took the help of democratic leadership and also ensured the
fact that the majority of the people of South Africa supported the Apartheid Movement organized
by him not only for the liberation of the concerned nation but also for the eradication of racism,
discrimination and the other kinds of issues that the people had to face within their own nation
(Asongu & Nwachukwu, 2018). On the other hand, in the case of the terrorists, it is seen that
rather than gathering the support of the masses or for that matter offering leadership to them, the
terrorists often work in an individualistic manner or in small groups (Eager, 2016). An important
reason for this is that the lack of novelty in the objectives of the terrorists often deters many
individuals from supporting them (Medina, 2018). This in turn is the major reason why the
terrorist activities organized by the different terrorists fail to receive wide support like the ones
organized by the freedom fighters and thus they often had to work in an individualistic manner or
in small groups (Kaplan, 2017). This aspect forms another important distinction between the
terrorists and the freedom fighters.
To conclude, in the above discussion the researcher through the usage of three arguments
had shown that there is a significant difference between the terrorists and the freedom fighters.
The differences between the freedom fighters and the terrorists become apparent when the
protest methods used by them, the objectives which drive them and also the manner in which the

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protests or the movements are being organized by them are being taken into consideration. Thus,
it can be said that although both the freedom fighters and the terrorists have been persecuted by
the national government of the different nations over the years and also the approaches used by
them seem too radical in nature yet a critical analysis of both of these groups clearly indicate that
there is a significant difference between the two. These differences between the freedom fighters
and the terrorists become apparent from the above discussion of the same.

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