Global Crime Rise Linked to Spread of Capitalism

The large increase in global crime has been caused entirely by the spread of global capitalism. Evaluate this view.

Key focus of the question: Global crime, sometimes known as transnational crime or ‘crimes without frontiers,’ can be understood as crime that takes place across the borders of one or more countries. Studies suggest that the scale of global crime has increased significantly in recent years. This question invites candidates to consider the reasons for the rise in global crime and, in particular, to reflect on possible links with the spread of global capitalism. Candidates are likely to discuss sociological arguments that see the global criminal economy as mirroring the global capitalist economy. Castells, for example, argues that globalization resulted in the development of physical, digital, and financial networks that cut across national borders and which led to knowledge as well as goods and people moving quickly, easily, and cheaply across the world. While this facilitated the development of global capitalism, it also created opportunities for the development of global criminal networks. Examples of global crime may be used in good answers to illustrate possible links with the spread of global capitalism. Connections between drug dealing (through money laundering) and the global financial system might be explored, for instance. Similarly, so💥called ‘green crimes’ committed by some transnational corporation who flout environmental protection laws in poorer countries would provide a further example of links between global capitalism and global crime. While global capitalism may be a significant contributor to the increase in global crime, other factors are also involved. A strong evaluative response to the question will consider some of these other factors, including the impact of wars and regional conflicts, poverty, and weakness and corruption in some governments.

Indicative content:

For:
💥 Global crime is often organized along business lines and is facilitated by access to international commercial networks associated with the spread of global capitalism.
💥 The spread of capitalist values globally may have encouraged more people and businesses around the world to adopt immoral, selfish, and illegal practices to compete with one another to make money and achieve material success.
💥 Wallerstein believes that global capitalism has damaged the economy of poor countries, making the latter fertile ground for the development of criminal networks who may be recruited by established criminal groups in wealthier countries to, for example, supply drugs or engage in people trafficking.
💥 Transnational Corporations have often been found to break laws in low💥income countries, especially those relating to the health and safety of their workers and environmental protection.
💥 Deregulation of the world’s financial system, part of which was designed to facilitate growth in international trade and commerce, has facilitated a range of financial crimes, from tax evasion and insider trading to defrauding transnational organizations such as the EU out of grant and subsidy money.

Against:
💥 Marxist accounts that link the growth of global crime to the spread of global capitalism are most convincing in relation to crimes that are committed for financial gain, such as dealing in illicit drugs or people trafficking. However, other types of global crime have increased significantly, and here, the links to capitalism are more tenuous. For example, international tourism has led to an increase in sexual crimes, with some poorer countries being viewed as a safe haven for sexual predators who visit as tourists and exploit women and children in the local sex industry.
💥 The claim that global capitalism and the spread of neoliberal values around the world have weakened the economy of poorer countries (and therefore encouraged a local increase in crime) has been disputed. In many cases, the economy and institutions of poorer countries may have been strengthened through increasing international trade and exposure to globalization.
💥 While global capitalism may have contributed to the increase in global crime, it is not the only significant factor. Wars and regional conflicts have been responsible for a huge increase in migration, thereby creating a market in people trafficking. War and poverty have also led some farmers in the developing world to abandon conventional crops and grow plants to produce illicit drugs. Warlords also use global criminal networks to generate funds to purchase armaments and pay their soldiers.
💥 Although global capitalism may facilitate global crime, the extent of the problem is greatly exacerbated by the weakness of the legal and political systems in many poorer countries and by the failure of governments in developed countries to clamp down on the corporate crimes committed by transnational organizations in less developed countries.