Licence to kill (concept)
Encyclopedia
Licence to kill is a literary device used in espionage fiction. It refers to the official sanction by a government
or government agency
to a particular operative or employee to initiate the use of lethal force in the delivery of their objectives. The initiation of lethal force is in comparison to the use of lethal force in self defence or the protection of life.
The idea of a licence to kill is popularly known from the James Bond
novels and films, where it is signified by the "00" (double Oh) designation
given to the agents in the series who are licensed to kill; Bond himself is famously agent 007.
In reality, the legitimacy of deadly force
usage from country to country is generally controlled by statute
law, particular and direct executive orders
, the common law
, or military rules of engagement
.
In literary portrayals, the licence is presumed to be a discretionary one; distributed rarely and requiring extensive training to obtain, granted only to a handful of covert agents of a state in the interest of national security
. The agent is not necessarily expected to kill enemies as part of a mission, but may receive immunity from prosecution (in his own country) if in the agent's estimation, this became necessary to complete it.
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
or government agency
Government agency
A government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...
to a particular operative or employee to initiate the use of lethal force in the delivery of their objectives. The initiation of lethal force is in comparison to the use of lethal force in self defence or the protection of life.
The idea of a licence to kill is popularly known from the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
novels and films, where it is signified by the "00" (double Oh) designation
00 Agent
In Ian Fleming's James Bond novels and the derived films, the 00 Section of MI6 are considered the secret service's elite. A 00 agent holds a licence to kill in the field, at his or her discretion, to complete the mission...
given to the agents in the series who are licensed to kill; Bond himself is famously agent 007.
In reality, the legitimacy of deadly force
Deadly force
Deadly force, as defined by the United States Armed Forces, is the force which a person uses, causing—or that a person knows, or should know, would create a substantial risk of causing—death or serious bodily harm...
usage from country to country is generally controlled by statute
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
law, particular and direct executive orders
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
, the common law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
, or military rules of engagement
Rules of engagement
Rules of Engagement refers to those responses that are permitted in the employment of military personnel during operations or in the course of their duties. These rules of engagement are determined by the legal framework within which these duties are being carried out...
.
In literary portrayals, the licence is presumed to be a discretionary one; distributed rarely and requiring extensive training to obtain, granted only to a handful of covert agents of a state in the interest of national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
. The agent is not necessarily expected to kill enemies as part of a mission, but may receive immunity from prosecution (in his own country) if in the agent's estimation, this became necessary to complete it.