Martyrs in revolution: can the symbol sustain the struggle?

Abstract

Martyrs have long been lauded as effective tools of mass persuasion. Once firmly identified with a variety of religious faiths, the martyr has just recently emerged within the secular world of politics and, in particular, within states embroiled in revolution. This thesis is a descriptive and analytical exercise which researches a number of areas concerning revolutionary martyrs. First, it examines the evolution of the martyr's character throughout its history. Next, it determines both the necessary and sufficient conditions which are present in the creation of martyrs in revolution. Third, the study suggests that some revolutionary martyrs possess a greater potential to arouse an incipient, latent community to support revolutionary movements. Finally, it offers a measurement scale to determine the effectiveness of a revolutionary's martyrdom to incite action and identifies those bureaucratic controls which may enhance and politicize the image within a population in turmoil. In so doing, it is the author's hope that this research can be fruitful to policy makers and operators within the Departments of State and Defense in their on going efforts to more clearly understand and effectively employ psychological operations in revolutionary conflicts throughout the globe