Militant: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Militant can refer to any individual that is engaged in warfare, a fight, combat, or generally serving as a soldier; moreoften it is used in the context of journalism as a neutral term for violent actors who do not belong to an established military. Typically, a militant is a person who engages in violence as part of a claimed struggle for achievement of a political goal.

The term "militant state" colloquially refers to a state which holds an aggressive posture in support of an ideology or cause.

Composition

A militant usually is an individual, or are a group (composed of citizens), enrolled and trained for service in a particular cause. Its ranks may be filled either by enlistment or conscription by other members. Militants are usually aggressive and vigorous in the support of a cause, such as in a militant protest. Inherent in some militant views are a quality of intolerance. The work and support of militants are commonly within the limits of international law, humanity, and civil disobedience. Some militants, though, operate outside the framework of international law, humanity, and democracy.

The term militant is used to describe those who aggressively and violently promote a political philosophy in the name of a movement (and sometimes have an extreme solution for their goal). Common goals of modern militants include establishing dictatorships and establishing a single common government all over the world (e.g., one world government). There is little tactically in common in the various movements that seek to apply militancy as a solution, or use its terms to rationalize their solutions for issues in the modern World. Two objective things that can be said about many militants are:

(I) They employ force or violence directly, either in offensive or defensive manner.

(II) They justify this using the ideological rhetoric of their particular group.

A militant view sometimes constitutes an extremists position. A militant state denotes being in a physically aggressive posture while in support of an ideology or cause.

The etymology of the word comes from the 15th Century Latin "militare" meaning "to be a soldier". The modern concept of the militia as a defensive organization against invaders grew out of the Anglo-Saxon "fyrd". In times of crisis, the militiaman left his civilian duties and became a soldier until the emergency was over, when he returned to his civilian status.

The mass media usually uses the term "militant" to describe some terrorists. The term militant is often applied to movements using terrorism as a tactic. The mass media also has repeatedly called terrorist organizations "militant groups". The term radical militant is also so applicable in these situations. The terms are used, generally, to avoid placing the label terrorism on the individuals or groups who have not actually committed violent acts.

Militant is often used in newspapers, magazines, and other information sources in place of terrorist. Militant is deemed to be a neutral term, whereas terrorist clearly indicates that the behavior of the individual or organization is reprehensible regardless of the motivations for such behavior. Militant, othertimes, can be used to mean any individual that is engaged in warfare, a fight, combat, or generally serving as a solider serving as a soldier.

Militants can be found over the political spectrum including white supremacists, separatists, abortion opponents, and environmentalists. Examples of left-wing, right-wing, and special interest militants include militant reformers, militant feminists, militant animal rights advocates, and anarchists. Fundementalist church militants are engaged in a constant warfare against the Christian church's enemies (though "fundamentalism" is not, by definition, militant). Militant Islam is used to describe excessively violent and aggressive political activity by Islamic individuals, groups, movements, or governments.

Militant is often used in relation with Palestinians who express intentions to commit, or support, violent actions (which include attacks on Israeli soldiers and Israeli civilians) on behalf of Palestinian nationalism, and statehood or in attempts to anhillilate Israel (the term guerrilla has also been used). In the opinion of many Israelis, the term is used by some media groups with regard to Israel to describe people who would be called terrorists with regard to any other country; and in their opinion this is done out of bias, to downplay the severity of attacks on Israelis.

However it could be argued that those resisting a foreign military occupation should not be called terrorists because their acts of political violence against the military targets of a foreign occupier are not in violation of international law. Protocol 1 of the Geneva Conventions gives lawful combatant status to those engaging in armed conflicts against alien (or foreign) occupation, colonial domination and racist regimes. Non-uniformed guerrillas are also given this status if they carry arms openly during military opperations. Protocol 1 does not legitimise attacks on civilians by militants who fall into these categories, however.

"I'm a militant when I say I'll pick up a rifle and protect the Constitution." - Anonymous

The Militant is a socialist newsweekly published (according to the publisher) in the interests of working people. The weekly newspaper from the United States Socialist Workers Party carries extensive coverage of labor issues and events.

The Militant also maintains a mostly text version to facilitate access for those who need it.

This should not be confused with Militant Tendency's newspaper of the same name which was originally published in 1964