Criminal Politics and Botched Development in Contemporary Latin Americ

This Element investigates the relationship between the narcotics industry and politics and assesses how it influences domestic political dynamics, including economic development prospects in Latin America. It argues that links between criminal organizations, politicians, and state agents give rise to criminal politics (i.e., the interrelated activity of politicians, organized crime actors, and state agents in pursuing their respective agendas and goals). Criminal politics is upending how countries function politically and, consequently, impacting the prospects and nature of their social and economic development. The Element claims that diverse manifestations of criminal politics arise depending on how different phases of drug-trafficking activity (e.g., production, trafficking, and money laundering) interact with countries' distinct politico-institutional endowments. The argument is probed through the systematic examination of four cases that have received scant attention in the specialized literature: Chile,Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.

List of contents

1. Introduction; 2. Conceptualizing criminal politics; 3. Case studies; 4. Implications; References.

Summary

This Element investigates the relationship between the narcotics industry and politics. It claims that different manifestations of criminal politics arise depending on how different phases of drug-trafficking activity interact with the distinct politico-institutional endowments of Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.

Foreword

This Element investigates how the relationship between narcotics and politics impacts economic development prospects in Latin America.

Product details

• Authors: Andreas E. Feldmann, Andreas E. (University of Illinois Feldmann, Juan Pablo Luna, Luna Juan Pablo
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.07.2023
• EAN: 9781108958059
• ISBN: 978-1-108-95805-9
• No. of pages: 75
• Series: Elements in the Politics of Development
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; Latin America, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Criminology, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Development / Economic Development, LAW / Drugs & the Law, Organized crime, Drugs trade / drug trafficking, Corporate crime, Corporate crime / white-collar crime, Latin America – Mexico, Central America, South America, Development economics & emerging economies, Development economics and emerging economies