APART FROM THE STATE OF WAR, THE THREE MOST PROMINENT FORMS OF CRISIS ACTION ARE STATE OF EMERGENCY, STATE OF SIEGE, AND MARTIAL LAW. THE BASIC CAUSES OF SUCH ACTION APPEAR TO BE AGGRESSION, PUBLIC CALAMITY, AND INTERNAL DISORDER. THE BASIC CAUSES OF SUCH ACTION APPEAR TO BE AGGRESSION, PUBLIC CALAMITY, AND INTERNAL DISORDER. CIVIL LIBERTIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT ARE THE TWO PRINCIPAL AREAS AFFECTED WHEN EMERGENCY POWERS ARE USED. ALTHOUGH, CONSTITUTIONALLY, EMERGENCY RULE SHOULD BE SHORT LIVED, THERE IS A TENDENCY TO PROLONG IT AS IN THE PHILLIPPINES WHERE IT WAS USED TO CREATE CONDITIONS FOR REFORMS AIMING AT A NEW SOCIETY. ASSUMPTION OF EMERGENCY POWERS BY INDIRA GANDHI IN 1975 WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE POLITICAL CONTROVERSY CAUSED BY A HIGH COURT RULING THAT SHE WAS GUILTY OF CORRUPT PRACTICES IN THE 1971 ELECTIONS. CLAIMING THAT THE STATE OF EMERGENCY WAS IN RESPONSE TO A CONSPIRACY TO UNDERMINE THE COUNTRY, SHE SUSPENDED HABEAS CORPUS, IMPOSED PRESS CENSORSHIP, AND EXERCISED POWER UNENCUMBERED BY DEMOCRATIC RESTRAINTS. THUS, ALTHOUGH TRADITIONALLY EMERGENCY RULE HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS (SUCH AS EXISTENCE OF EXTERNAL THREAT) PRESENT USAGE INDICATES A LOWERING OF STANDARDS. EMERGENCY POLITICS ARE USED IN DOMESTIC POLITICS AND ON BEHALF OF A PARTICULAR REGIME OR LEADER RATHER THAN OF A COLLECTIVE NATIONAL INTEREST. (MJW)