Leiden University Student Repository

Eijk, Charlotte van (2018)

Revolutionary or Terrorist? Labeling Abimael Guzmán’s Leadership within the Shining Path Movement

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

In the 1970s and 80s, Peru was afflicted by revolutionary violence conducted by the Shining Path movement. The Shining Path aimed to start a revolution that would contribute to the overthrow of the old bureaucratic capitalist system and establish the new social state of Peru. Special attention must be given to the major inspirational and operational role of leader of the Shining Path, Abimael Guzmán. His fascination for the Marxist and Maoist ideology formed the principles of the movement. Because of Guzmán’s charismatic position and strong ideological stance, his leadership is often characterized as either revolutionary or terrorist. But what elements of Guzmán’s leadership account for his characterization as revolutionary and what elements depict him as terrorist? This thesis aims to explore the different elements that depict Guzmán as either revolutionary or terrorist by looking to the concepts of leadership, revolutionary and terrorist movements.

Peru

leadership

revolutionary movements

terrorist movements

Author

Eijk, Charlotte van

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Latin America

Supervisors

Valdivia Rivera, Soledad

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en