he people as a whole. These conditions are not common in the modern world. In all too many places basic human rights are suppressed. The laws are made by a minority, sometimes with no pretence of discussion at all. The most extreme form of government terrorism is what people might call a "reign of terror." This phrase was first used in the French Revolution, during which the Revolutionary Tribunal sent increasing numbers of the people to their death (1793-1794). As panic and tension built up, terror was the order of the day. Any suspected "enemy of the people" (persons against the revolution) could be round up and often ended their life under the guillotine. Maximilien Robespierre, the leading figure of the Revolutionary Government, believed that terror could be used to create a new "Republic of Virtue." The "enemies of the people" were sacrificed to protect others who might follow their example (Freeman 13). The government of the former Soviet Union used terrorism mainly through wide-ranging laws which enabled it to pick up opponents on charges such as spreading "anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda" and "disseminating fabrications known to be false which defame the Soviet state and social system". The combination of vague laws with the possibility of detention without trial is one of the commonest forms of government terrorism. This form helps keep the people from revolting during drastic times of government trouble such as war recovery and financial difficulties. Many anti-terrorists today believe that the governments of today ...
