Crime and Corruption in New Democracies : The Politics of (In)Security

One of the dark sides to democratization can be crime and corruption. This book looks at the way political liberalization affects these practices in a number of ways whilst also challenging some of the scare stories about democracy. The book also brings the politics of power back into an examination of corruption. Covering countries as diverse as Brazil and Guatemala, Thailand, Russia and occupied Iraq, this book examines the way democratization may lead to changes in crime. Case studies examine violent and sexual crime and their links to political change. The book also explores the way democracy itself may generate cycles of violence sometimes greater than the previous regime as states adopt hard-line policies to crime. However, the author sets democracy and crime in perspective, arguing that organized crime is not the threat to democracy many policy makers and academics claim. Generally, whilst crime and corruption are changed by democratization and crime may rise markedly, democracies are remarkably resilient. This book also examines democratization and corruption, and provides a new perspective on the relationship between the two, arguing that political power has been sidelined in explanations of corruption Covering countries as diverse as Brazil and Guatemala, Thailand, Russia and occupied Iraq, this book examines the way democratization may lead to changes in crime. Case studies examine violent and sexual crime and their links to political change. The book also explores the way democracy itself may generate cycles of violence sometimes greater than the previous regime as states adopt hard-line policies to crime. However, the author sets democracy and crime in perspective, arguing that organized crime is not the threat to democracy many policy makers and academics claim. Generally, whilst crime and corruption are changed by democratization and crime may rise markedly, democracies are remarkably resilient. This book also examines democratization and corruption, and provides a new perspective on the relationship between the two, arguing that political power has been sidelined in explanations of corruption. Publisher's note Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction....Pages 1-12 Democratisation and the Decentralisation of Crime and Corruption....Pages 13-32 Democratisation and Political Corruption: Bringing Politics Back In....Pages 33-59 Learning to Live without Fear: Organised Crime and Democratisation....Pages 60-82 Violent Democracies: Cycles of Crime, Politics and Violence....Pages 83-109 Legacies of Violence: Murder and Violent Crimes in El Salvador and Guatemala....Pages 110-130 State Collapse, Democratisation and Informal Power in Iraq....Pages 131-154 Conclusion....Pages 155-158 Back Matter....Pages 159-233 Introduction Democratisation and the decentralisation of crime and corruption Democratization and political corruption: bringing politics back in Learning to live without fear: organised crime and democratisation Violent democracies: cycles of crime, politics and violence Legacies of violence: murder and violent crime in El Salvador and Guatemala State collapse, democratisation and informal power in Iraq Conclusion.

One of the dark sides to democratization can be crime and corruption. This book looks at the way political liberalization affects these practices in a number of ways whilst also challenging some of the scare stories about democracy. The book also brings the politics of power back into an examination of corruption.