From Peaceful Protest to Guerrilla War: Micromobilization of the Provisional Irish Republican Army

Abstract

Concentrating on the development of one politically violent organization, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), leads to conclusions that differ from more aggregate approaches. A quantitative examination of the development of IRA violence in a community mobilized for peaceful protest shows that state repression, not economic deprivation, was the major determinant of this violence. Intensive interviews with IRA supporters help to interpret these quantitative results by showing that, before endorsing political violence, victims of repression must (1) view the authority repressing them as illegitimate, (2) view peaceful protest in the face of repression as ineffective, and (3) consider the reactions to repression of people with whom they have close ties. These responses to repression appear to be continued by social placement; that is, in contrast to members of the middle class, members of the working class and student activists are more likely to experience repression, to be available for constly violent protest, and to experience the efficacy of political violence.