Political assassination is one of the most extreme means in political struggle, and it is also a manifestation of the intensification of political contradictions. As the name implies, it is a secret assassination. Take the liberty to talk about a few common in history:
First, assassination directly serves the domestic coup.
The assassination of the nominal leader by the authorities. For example, Xiang Yu assassinated Yidi and Yang Guang assassinated Emperor Wendi. The assassination of the emperor by eunuchs and warlords in Tang and Five Dynasties. This kind of assassination is easy to succeed because the strength is already in the hands of the assassin.
The benefits of assassination are direct and enormous, because those in power can further control power without being restricted by nominal leaders. But the final effect depends on the size of other opposing forces. If the people in power have not yet gained a decisive advantage over other forces, assassination will leave a moral excuse for other forces and turn many talents and other resources to each other. Xiang Yu's murder of Yidi is such an example.
The assassination of the opposition authorities.
Such as the Republican assassination of Caesar; The assassination of Qing officials by the League;
This kind of assassination can create momentum, destroy the key figures of the other side, disrupt the rhythm and personnel arrangements of the ruling party, and provide opportunities for a coup.
But considering the balance of power, this kind of assassination is very risky. Successful assassination does not mean that the assassin can take power. Instead, it often leads to a more severe massacre of assassins. Moreover, the ultimate beneficiary is often not an assassin, but a third party other than the assassin and the victim. If the League assassinated the central and local officials of the Qing Dynasty, the direct consequence would be the rise of the strength of the Han warlords, and the League itself would not be of much benefit.
Second, assassination helps to influence domestic political trends.
At this time, the situation has not reached the level of coup, but assassination can effectively affect the political trend.
1 The assassination of political opponents' leaders by those in power during the period of change. For example, Yuan Shikai assassinated Song.
The assassination of celebrities by the authorities in the period of change. The assassinations of social activists, journalists and scientists in past dynasties. The reason for the assassination is that celebrities can often directly influence public opinion.
Three assassinations between different factions. For example, Liang Wang assassinated Yuan Ang.
In these cases that serve the domestic political trend, public opinion will almost inevitably turn to the assassinated party. This is a negative factor that assassins must consider. (Although coup assassination also has this factor, it can be ignored because of its huge profits). Countermeasures, or compulsory control of public opinion; Or try to hide your side and blame others.
Three. An assassination that serves the struggle between two countries or separatist forces
1 assassination of diplomatic officials of the other side when negotiating a treaty
For example, during the Brest Treaty, the Russian Social Revolutionary Party assassinated the German ambassador Mierbach; The Japanese Congressman's Assassination of Li Hongzhang in treaty of shimonoseki.
This kind of killing is often a "general" carried out by domestic radicals against compromise factions, forcing the relationship between the two countries to break down through assassination, thus making the country adopt a more aggressive plan. This kind of assassination is generally difficult to achieve the expected results, but it puts the country in an embarrassing situation. As Lenin wrote, the assassination of Mierbach pushed Russia to the brink of "almost repeating the war with Germany".
2. The assassination of officials of enemy countries and those who defected to the enemy by ethnic minorities.
For example, An Zhonggen assassinated Ito Bowen. The assassination of Japanese and puppet officials by the Blue Shirt Society. The Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary was assassinated during the First World War.
This kind of assassination is idealistic, although it has rich connections with political forces, but it often has no direct practical effect, mainly to create resistance and blow the arrogance of the other side.
One side officially assassinated the head of the other side or the opposition.
This often happens when assassins cultivate personal power within the other side and push personal power to take power by assassinating the leaders of the other side or the opposition. Like the Japanese assassination of Zhang.
Four people or river lake vendetta.
For example, Kaplan assassinated Lenin; The axe gang assassinated Chiang Kai-shek. This kind of assassination is mainly due to the personal grievances, beliefs or mental problems of a handful of assassins, and is not dominated by a big political force. Interestingly, many famous assassinations were carried out by such elements. Because such actions are accidental and accidental, it is impossible not to prevent them.
5. Terrorist assassination
Terrorist assassinations here, especially assassinations of civilians. By assassinating the other civilians, you can achieve the effect of intimidating the other side or comforting yourself. In ancient times, this form was rare. Because the lives of civilians were the least valuable at that time, there was no need to assassinate them, just slaughter them aboveboard.
But in modern times, because civilians have a certain right to political discourse, unfortunately, it has also become a bargaining chip on the political balance and a delicacy on the table of assassins.
Assassination is actually only a superficial phenomenon. When various contradictions in a country or region intensify to a certain stage, assassination will become a flashpoint of contradictions and a way to solve them. Through this extreme means, some contradictions are more intensified or in a critical state, and contradictions may also undergo major changes. This is the role of assassination. Countries or regions where political assassinations often occur must be places with complex contradictions and fierce struggles. The target of assassination is usually political leaders, who are at the center of the whirlpool of political struggle.
National or political leaders also represent the interests of certain groups, so political assassination is not aimed at individuals, but at the political forces represented by leaders from the perspective of political interests. The representative role of political leaders in the process of political struggle is irreplaceable, and political assassination can greatly hit the interests of the groups he represents in a certain period of time. When the political forces of all parties in a country or region are disproportionate, assassination will not play a decisive role, but political assassination activities are less than those in a state of political power balance.
When all kinds of forces are competing for state power, rather than the people deciding the ownership of state power, it is possible for all parties to solve outstanding contradictions through assassination. In some countries and regions in the world, political assassination is still inevitable at a certain stage in the future, because the functions of various forces and contradictions will not disappear and disappear in a period of time. If there is no perfect system and mechanism to solve conflicts of interest, political assassination will be inevitable.