HISTORICAL AND LEGAL AND COMPARATIVE ASPECTS OF COUNTERING EXTREMISM

Abstract

The article provides a study of the retrospective of the emergence and formation of an understandingof extremism. The author refers to the etymology of the very concept of “extremism”. The term “extremism”originates from the Latin word “extremus”, which in translation into Russian means “extreme, excessive”,going beyond the established limits and norms. Based on etymology, extremism can be interpreted as acommitment to extreme views, methods of action. Already in the period of the Ancient World and throughoutthe main stages of history, situations arose in which certain categories of people were ready to violate andviolate existing norms in order to achieve their goals and ideals, while applying measures prohibited by anypublic regulator. In fact, this is what will be called terrorism much later.In political, sociological, journalistic literature, the concepts of “terror”, “terrorism” and “terrorist act”are most often proposed to be used as synonyms. Synonymization in this case is convenient in a utilitariansense, but becomes an obstacle in terms of methodology. Based on etymology, any act of violence can beinterpreted as terrorism only if it pursues the goal of intimidation. But from the point of determining thesubject and object of such crimes, synonymization does not take into account the specific situation in whichthe specified crime is committed. Hence, when considering the history of extremism, as the author notes,it is necessary to trace the change in the interpretation of the term “extremism” at different stages of thedevelopment of society.