--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was a step forward to charge Pinochet…" description: "\"It was a step forward to charge Pinochet with terrorism, and to acknowledge that the essence of the crime is the use of political violence to induce gr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/richard-a-falk-8295_acknowledge_it-was-a-step-forward-to-charge-pinochet_2523447.jpg" --- # It was a step forward to charge Pinochet with terrorism… ![“It was a step forward to charge Pinochet with terrorism, and to acknowledge that the essence of the crime is the use of political violence to induce great fear in society and against those who are innocent, and not just such violence that is directed against the state by opposition groups.” quote by Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/richard-a-falk-8295_acknowledge_it-was-a-step-forward-to-charge-pinochet_2523447.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/richard-a-falk-8295_acknowledge_it-was-a-step-forward-to-charge-pinochet_2523447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddb/richard-a-falk-8295_acknowledge_it-was-a-step-forward-to-charge-pinochet_2523447.jpg) > “It was a step forward to charge Pinochet with terrorism, and to acknowledge that the essence of the crime is the use of political violence to induce great fear in society and against those who are innocent, and not just such violence that is directed against the state by opposition groups.” [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Argues that charging Pinochet with terrorism acknowledges political violence as a tool of terror against civilians, not just state opposition. **In simple terms:** Political terror against civilians is a crime. Key Takeaway Recognize and condemn state‑sponsored terror. Themes justice politics human rights Mood serious analytical Type scholarly critical When to use this quote - policy making - human rights advocacy - historical analysis - legal reforms Key Concepts terrorism political violence legal accountability Questions to Reflect On - What defines terrorism in law? - How can societies prevent political terror? A Different Perspective Complex international law may hinder prosecution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acknowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge/) [Charge Pinochet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charge-pinochet-1273383/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Innocent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent/) [Opposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposition/) [Pinochet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pinochet-144724/) [Pinochet Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pinochet-terrorism-1273382/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-violence/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Step forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step-forward/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Steps forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps-forward/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Terrorism Acknowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism-acknowledge-1273384/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violence Induce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-induce-1273385/) ## Related quotes > [On the one side, I welcome prosecutions of individuals such as Pinochet, and would welcome the indictment, prosecution, and punishment of Kissinger. 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Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [Capitalism was reasonably content under Hitler, happy under Mussolini, very happy under Franco and delirious under General Pinochet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/capitalism-was-reasonably-content-under-hitler-happy-under-mussolini/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [“The hours I spent in this anachronistic, bibliophile, Anglophile retreat were in surreal contrast to the shrieking horror show that was being enacted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-hours-i-spent-in-this-anachronistic-bibliophile-anglophile/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [The problem that we have is that most Americans don't even study American history, let alone Pinochet, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and all these guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-problem-that-we-have-is-that-most-americans-don-t-even-study/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political moral questions of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/nonviolence-is-the-answer-to-the-crucial-political-moral-questions-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [In a functioning liberal democracy, we cannot normalize political violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-ngo/in-a-functioning-liberal-democracy-we-cannot-normalize-political/) [Andy Ngo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-ngo/) > [Stop the normalisation of political violence against the Right!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-loomer/stop-the-normalisation-of-political-violence-against-the-right/) [Laura Loomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-loomer/) > [I'm not telling people what to do, but I also wish people would not only condemn political violence against the Right but also anti-Semitism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-loomer/i-m-not-telling-people-what-to-do-but-i-also-wish-people-would-not/) [Laura Loomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-loomer/) > [“That every act of political violence should nowadays be attributed to Anarchists is not at all surprising. 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