What is Assassination?
Assassination is the act of killing a prominent person for political, ideological, or religious reasons. It is a deliberate and targeted murder carried out to achieve a specific goal or send a message.
Historical Examples
- Julius Caesar – Assassinated in 44 BC by a group of Roman senators who feared his growing power.
- John F. Kennedy – Assassinated in 1963 in Dallas, Texas, sparking conspiracy theories that persist to this day.
Case Studies
Assassinations have been used throughout history to eliminate political rivals, suppress dissent, or instill fear in populations. For example, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in 1914 triggered World War I.
Statistics on Assassinations
According to the Global Terrorism Database, there were 1,054 assassinations recorded worldwide in 2020. These targeted killings have far-reaching consequences and can destabilize entire regions.
