ABSTRACT

This chapter presents a wide range of ideologically and/or politically driven forms of breaking of legal and/or social norms that are accepted at least by significant parts of the population and are far from being minor or marginal (hereafter called politically motivated rule-breaking). Other forms of rule-breaking aiming at personal advantage or emanating from emotional outbursts are excluded. In a strictly analytical perspective, rule-breaking can be categorised along two dimensions: justification (on moral or functional grounds), and the mode of action (non-violent or violent). In principle, one can typify some basic reactions of third parties to rule-breaking based on the criterion of social vs. legal assessment. In many cases, rule-breaking is destructive and counter-productive. But there are instances when it is functional for the survival of groups and organisations and/or legitimate not only from the viewpoint of idiosyncratic activists but from a general human and civic rights perspective.