The Battle against Anarchist Terrorism: An International History, 1878–1934

by Richard Bach Jensen

This is the first global history of the secret diplomatic and police campaign that was waged against anarchist terrorism from 1878 to the 1920s. Anarchist terrorism was at that time the dominant form of terrorism and for many continued to be synonymous with terrorism as late as the 1930s. Ranging from Europe and the Americas to the Middle East and Asia, Richard Bach Jensen explores how anarchist terrorism emerged as a global phenomenon during the first great era of economic and social globalization at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries and reveals why some nations were so much more successful in combating this new threat than others. He shows how the challenge of dealing with this new form of terrorism led to the fundamental modernization of policing in many countries and also discusses its impact on criminology and international law.

Genres: History, Terrorism, Politics, 20th Century, Nonfiction

430 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive examination of the ways the states of prewar Europe (Jensen looks beyond the powers to include sections on such peripheral actors as Portugal or Denmark) cooperated in order to battle international anarchism. The two most interesting takeaways for me were the construction of the "anarchist mystique" by the media and the state governments, and the limited uses which working together to fight anarchism had for the cause of European peace.

I feel that the mystique of the anarchists could be applied for subversives in Cold War West Germany, but I wonder about the second point- nations today seem to work together far more efficently- does this mean current international terroism helps to ensure world peace?

[Joe Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A serious study of the various governments methods in battling anarchist terrorism. It covers that various political agreements (as well as the opposition to those agreements), police interaction with police from different countries, as well as the reaction to anarchist bombing attacks.

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