Let's discuss the ethics of political violence?

“Psychologist Albert Bandura identified specific mechanisms of Moral Disengagementen.wikipedia.org that allow individuals to maintain their self-image while committing atrocities.”

“turning a corporate policy into a theological evil that requires a ritualized response.”

“It asserts that some ideas are so dangerous that the person holding the microphone must be treated as if they held the sword.”

“This logic suggests that words are equivalent to physical violence (the "speech as violence" trope), thereby justifying physical violence as a "counter-measure."”

“This reflects a transition from political conflict to what Carl Schmittplato.stanford.edu described as the "Total Enemy" distinction, where the opponent is no longer a legal adversary but an existential threat that must be physically uprooted from civil society.”

“Aquinas argues that unauthorized violence usually results in a worse tyrant than the one deposed, as the state descends into chaos or the successor enacts even more repressive measures in the name of security.”

“tyrannicide”

“This creates a feedback loop where the act is not seen as an aberration, but as a "rational" response to a perceived existential threat, thereby validating the perpetrator’s logic within their own subcultural echo chamber.”

“This creates a dangerous moral symmetry where the actor believes they are merely "returning fire" against an invisible, institutional aggressor.”

“However, critics note that this "cleansing" often leaves a legacy of militarism that makes the transition to a stable civilian government nearly impossible.”

“Critiques and the "Slippery Slope"”

“the "lawfulness" of a revolution can often only be determined after it succeeds, as the victors establish the new legal framework that justifies their prior rebellion.”

“Deciding that rights are being violated is ultimately a collective social realization.”

“The Hobbesian Dissent: In contrast, Thomas Hobbesplato.stanford.edu argued in Leviathan (1651) that the people cannot judge the sovereign. For Hobbes, the moment you grant individuals the right to judge the state, you return to the "state of nature," which is a war of all against all. He believed that even a flawed government is better than the anarchy of private judgment.”

“If the government is the sole judge of its own actions, it will never find itself in violation. If every individual is a judge, society dissolves into the chaos of subjective opinion.”

“the efficacy of violent versus non-violent tactics in achieving long-term stability.”

“The debate today often centers on the distinction between political violence (aimed at structures) and terrorism (aimed at non-combatants)”

“When a government becomes tyrannical—violating the natural rights of life, liberty, and property—the "social contract" is broken.”