Overview

What should we make of the outsized role organized crime plays in conflict and crisis, from drug wars in Mexico to human smuggling in North Africa, from the struggle in Crimea to scandals in Kabul? How can we deal with the convergence of politics and crime in so-called 'mafia states' such as Guinea-Bissau, North Korea or, as some argue, Russia? Drawing on unpublished government documents and mafia memoirs, James Cockayne discovers the strategic logic of organized crime, hidden in a century of forgotten political--criminal collaboration in New York, Sicily and the Caribbean. He reveals states and mafias competing - and collaborating -- in a competition for governmental power. He discovers mafias influencing elections, changing constitutions, organizing domestic insurgencies and transnational terrorism, negotiating peace deals, and forming governmental joint ventures with ruling groups. And he sees mafias working with the US government to spy on American citizens, catch Nazis, try to assassinate Fidel Castro, invade and govern Sicily, and playing unappreciated roles in the Bay of Pigs fiasco and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

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9780190627331

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Reviews

In this landmark study, James Cockayne provides a rich and thoroughly researched history of the interaction between mafias and the state, while providing a framework for considering the strategic calculations of all criminal organisations. --Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King's College London Remarkable, a landmark in organised crime research. Cockayne, uniquely both an analyst and practitioner, is the first person to bridge the divide between the study of what we have traditionally called the mafia and a new generation of organised crime in the developing world. This will be the standard reference for all those debating the policy options for illicit trafficking and the role of criminal organisations in the age of globalisation. -- Mark Shaw, Director, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime We've known for some time that globalization blurs boundaries and conventional categories like public/private and national/international. This extraordinary book adds a new factor into the mix: the transnational strategies criminal organizations deploy to shape governmental power in order to maximize criminal rents. The compelling narrative takes us on a geographic tour that includes Sicily, New York, Cuba and conflicts in Mexico and the Sahel. Even more impressive is the analytical tour Cockayne provides--a tour de force illuminating a blind spot in our understanding of global instability. -- John G. Ruggie, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights and International Affairs, Harvard University

In this landmark study, James Cockayne provides a rich and thoroughly researched history of the interaction between mafias and the state, while providing a framework for considering the strategic calculations of all criminal organisations. --Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King's College London Remarkable, a landmark in organised crime research. Cockayne, uniquely both an analyst and practitioner, is the first person to bridge the divide between the study of what we have traditionally called the mafia and a new generation of organised crime in the developing world. This will be the standard reference for all those debating the policy options for illicit trafficking and the role of criminal organisations in the age of globalisation. -- Mark Shaw, Director, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime We've known for some time that globalization blurs boundaries and conventional categories like public/private and national/international. This extraordinary book adds a new factor into the mix: the transnational strategies criminal organizations deploy to shape governmental power in order to maximize criminal rents. The compelling narrative takes us on a geographic tour that includes Sicily, New York, Cuba and conflicts in Mexico and the Sahel. Even more impressive is the analytical tour Cockayne provides--a tour de force illuminating a blind spot in our understanding of global instability. -- John G. Ruggie, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights and International Affairs, Harvard University We need to rethink our understanding of international politics, as states compete with powerful private actors, and the distinction between public and private agendas gets increasingly blurred. James Cockayne's exploration of the influence of criminal networks makes an important contribution to our understanding of a world in which the power of money and crime redefines the politics of power. --Jean-Marie Gu henno, CEO International Crisis Group 'Hidden Power is a well-sourced, thoughtful tome filled with useful insights. It offers nuance and originality while addressing a topic too often overrun with derivative fear-mongering.'--InSight Crime

In this landmark study, James Cockayne provides a rich and thoroughly researched history of the interaction between mafias and the state, while providing a framework for considering the strategic calculations of all criminal organisations. --Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King's College London Remarkable, a landmark in organised crime research. Cockayne, uniquely both an analyst and practitioner, is the first person to bridge the divide between the study of what we have traditionally called the mafia and a new generation of organised crime in the developing world. This will be the standard reference for all those debating the policy options for illicit trafficking and the role of criminal organisations in the age of globalisation. -- Mark Shaw, Director, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime We've known for some time that globalization blurs boundaries and conventional categories like public/private and national/international. This extraordinary book adds a new factor into the mix: the transnational strategies criminal organizations deploy to shape governmental power in order to maximize criminal rents. The compelling narrative takes us on a geographic tour that includes Sicily, New York, Cuba and conflicts in Mexico and the Sahel. Even more impressive is the analytical tour Cockayne provides--a tour de force illuminating a blind spot in our understanding of global instability. -- John G. Ruggie, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights and International Affairs, Harvard University We need to rethink our understanding of international politics, as states compete with powerful private actors, and the distinction between public and private agendas gets increasingly blurred. James Cockayne's exploration of the influence of criminal networks makes an important contribution to our understanding of a world in which the power of money and crime redefines the politics of power. --Jean-Marie Guehenno, CEO International Crisis Group 'Hidden Power is a well-sourced, thoughtful tome filled with useful insights. It offers nuance and originality while addressing a topic too often overrun with derivative fear-mongering.'--InSight Crime

Author Information

James Cockayne is an Australian strategist, writer and international lawyer who works at the UN. His research and practice focus on armed groups, organized crime, counter-terrorism and the protection of human rights.

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