Introduction
In contemporary society, every single individual is familiar with the term globalization. Businesses all over the world are starting to operate on an international level, cultural borders are being broken, and countries are establishing strong relationships with other governments. All the mentioned changes continually improve people’s view of the world and make them respect and understand various global processes.
It is widely accepted that modern society develops in an era “in which the greater part of social life is determined by international processes” that dissolve national economies, cultures, and territories (Hirst, Thompson and Bromley, 2015, p. 2). Millions of human beings believe that globalization is an extremely positive phenomenon that encourages individuals to connect and leave peacefully by using the latest internet technologies. On the other hand, others claim that globalization is harmful since it contributes to the increase in organized crime. Therefore, the following paper will discuss how globalization and the use of the Internet impact illegal activities by providing more information on these topics and contrasting two case studies on crime.
An Overview of Globalisation
Even though people were drawn to global connections since ancient times, it is not until the 19th century that international integration started to emerge. As Hirst, Thompson, and Bromley (2015, p. 9) mentioned, local communities have always wanted to produce and exchange goods, travel long distances and learn more about the traditions and customs of various countries. A simple interest has brought societies to various advancements and the development of knowledge and skills. Following the decades of trade and colonization, the first step towards globalization was taken with an industrial revolution, mass production, and the creation of railroads and telegraphs (Hirst, Thompson, and Bromley, 2015, p. 9). The 19th century was famous for a considerable increase in population growth which required governments to cooperate and transport goods and services all around the world (Hirst, Thompson and Bromley, 2015, p. 9). Thus, countries did not have any other choice than to start developing relationships based on trust and support. The events that happened in the 19th century proved to be essential in starting the lengthy procedure of globalization and the establishment of relations between economies and cultures.
Over the years, global integration became familiar to every individual as they felt that the world is getting smaller and more united. The relationships between the countries became strong, economies started to cooperate, and people began to experience various cultures and learn foreign languages. As indicated by Pieterse (2019, p. 2), since the begging of the 21st century, the pace of globalization “has quickened, and its scope widened, with changes in international trade and a demand for commodities.” Music, cinematography, fashion, cuisine, media, marketing have also gone through considerable changes due to the phenomenon and continue to bring new perspectives (Pieterse, 2019, p. 2). As a result, globalization’s rising popularity led to innovations in cultural styles and flows (Pieterse, 2019, p. 2). With significant changes in all the spheres of everyday life, people from different countries stopped to differentiate themselves from others and shifted their views regarding specific issues. Individuals no longer feel that they are a part of a particular nation. Instead, humans refer to themselves as the citizens of the world, continually explore new states, and break various stereotypes about other cultures.
One of the main aspects that make globalization possible in the contemporary world is the increased use of internet technologies. Everyone is aware that the emergence of the Internet is a contributor to the break of national boundaries and the improvement of interpersonal and intercultural relationships. Flew and Waisbord (2015, p. 632) concluded that media systems are the essential converging points of social, political, and economic forces that are grounded in the local and national structures. In other words, the Internet makes it possible to find similarities between countries and processes happening there and make the world more connected. Media technologies should be understood as the units for the comprehension of “how and where multiple dynamics intersect” and bring change to society (Flew and Waisbord, 2015, p. 632). Furthermore, Steger (2017, p. 16) stated that the Internet gives people a unique ability to experience instant communication and get access to the latest information. Individuals get a chance to quickly establish relationships with anyone and do not experience any restrictions when trying to deepen their knowledge regarding global problems. Therefore, it becomes clear that internet technologies drive globalization.
Even though the Internet positively contributes to the process of integration and seems to be highly advantageous for society, its use leads to several adverse consequences. Millions of people who stand against globalization claim that the media and various constantly emerging technologies are a destructive power that disrespects traditional values wrecks the planet, and harms people’s emotional well-being (Steger, 2017, p. 16). What is more, globalization does not only damage individuals’ general understanding of the world and make cultures forget about their distinguishing features but also causes other serious issues. For instance, the phenomenon adds to the increase in differences between the rich and the poor and makes it harder to control illegal activities in states (Burlacu, Gutu, and Matei, 2018, p. 125). These severe problems occur mainly because, in the era of globalization, international communications grow without any restrictions and filtering (Burlacu, Gutu, and Matei, 2018, p. 125). People and organizations feel a lack of administration over them which makes it much easier to show superiority over other groups and operate in any way they desire. Thus, while globalization can be beneficial, it also brings some complications.
An Overview of Organised Crime
The term organized crime and its study encompass several details that have to be taken into consideration when trying to understand this concept and its processes. Organized crime is usually referred to as a category of local and national highly centralized institutions that are operated by criminals and run for profit (Von Lampe, 2015, p. 2). When researching this type of misconduct, professionals focus on examining a broad range of elements involved in the procedure that engages law violators (Von Lampe, 2015, p. 2). Some of these details are the causes and roots of different types of crime, the ways organizations are connected, and the means of controlling power and influencing society (Von Lampe, 2015, p. 2). Hence, the concept of organized crime cannot be understood by just defining it and mentioning the illegal actions gangs conduct. People need to remember that organized crime can be motivated by various processes, engage people from different layers of society, and have specific aims of implementation. Since it is a complicated concept that can be interpreted subjectively, it is necessary to understand it better.
In the U.S., organized crime is believed to hurt the economy, security, and other national interests of the country. As indicated by Finklea (2009, p. 1), in the last decades, illegal activities started to evolve and influence all spheres of American society. With the emergence of the Internet and the opening of borders, this type of crime started to develop its transnational nature and have an impact on the feeling of national safety (Finklea, 2009, p. 1). Nowadays, the population is not only afraid of gangs operations from within the U.S. borders but is also threatened by illicit activities from foreign places, such as Mexico, Russia, Italy, and African countries (Finklea, 2009, p. 1). Senior officials have been putting effort into the creation of programs aimed at stopping the work of destructive transnational developments (Novakoff, 2016, p. 135). The government and the U.S. intelligence experienced some success in the implementation of those plans; nevertheless, criminal elements continued to establish their power in the country (Novakoff, 2016, p. 135). Thus, organized crime seems to be unstoppable and is dangerous for the overall situation in the country.
Even though this type of crime has not received enough media attention, people are already able to identify some of its main attributes as professionals research this subject extensively. While completing the list of the phenomenon’s distinguishing features, Finklea (2009) mentioned such processes as restricted membership, a threat of violence, illegal business institutions, corruption, and a particular structure of groups. Other theorists have also provided readers with their versions of the necessary elements involved in organized crime. For instance, Roth (2017, p. 1) indicated that, in the contemporary world, the main characteristics include longevity, monopolization, and self-perpetuating leadership. The change and advancement of dominating practices happen mainly because society continually evolves, and this development creates more complex and urbanized communities with new needs (Roth, 2017, p. 2). Moreover, all the mentioned practices and features harm the U.S. economy’s strategic sectors, corrupt public authorities, use citizens for trafficking and exploitation and promote violence as a way of control and power (Finklea, 2009, p. 1). Consequently, it can be stated that, as time passes, organized crime advances more and starts to have a worse influence on the governments.
As it has already been mentioned, the growth of global communications in times of globalization contributes to the appearance of various issues and one of them is the increase in organized illegal activities. International advancements after the Second World War produced several political, economic, and societal environments that significantly increased the destructive effect of illicit activities (Viano, 2018, p. 3). At the same time, recent internet technologies and scientific innovations accelerated this tendency even more (Viano, 2018, p. 3). Databases with an enormous amount of information, and increased speed of communication, and electronic financial transactions make the process of various operations easier and create a global interdependence (Viano, 2018, p. 3). These processes favor the emergence of new and the progress of old criminal activities by contributing to their work effectiveness and anonymity (Viano, 2018, p. 3). Besides, social networks offer a quicker way of managing illegal businesses since it gives individuals the possibility to transfer products and money without communicating face-to-face (Viano, 2018, p. 3). Hence, the Internet is a massive advantage for criminal gangs who wish to keep the outcomes of their work on the desired level.
Nowadays, criminal groups widely implement internet technologies in their practices and move towards a network approach to conducting business. While being involved in traditional illegal activities, cybercriminals constantly explore new ways of entering various social media platforms and continuing their operations easier (Tupman, Zabyelina, and Lavorgna, 2015, p. 153). Organized crime groups develop and carry out new types of offenses by using the latest technologies, such as online fraud, identity theft, and distribution of child pornography (Tupman, Zabyelina and Lavorgna, 2015, p. 154). It has even been claimed that “organized crime entered a new era, in which both traditional crime gangs and new types of organization can prosper and grow in new types of crimes” (Tupman, Zabyelina and Lavorgna, 2015, p. 154). Eventually, these developments will lead to an increase in the level of cybercrime in numerous countries where criminals will have a chance to circulate fraud, fake news, and violent and pornographic content (Tupman, Zabyelina, and Lavorgna, 2015, p, 154). In general, the Internet is used by criminal groups extensively and helps illegal activity to enter a new phase of development.
Case Studies’ Comparison
Organized crime groups have existed for decades and involved large numbers of people who wanted to gain quick profit and take advantage of various opportunities. One of the leading associations that operated in the British crime network is the Tuckers Firm. This organization was active from the late 1980s until 1996 and managed its activities in London and Essex (Windle, 2013, p. 382). The work of the following crime group was generally focused around three security offices that legally provided licensed venues with safety (Windle, 2013, p. 382). At the same time, the gang members were responsible for the taxation and protection of drug dealers and the distribution of different types of pills in the nightclubs they guarded (Windle, 2013, p. 382). One of the primary motivations for the Tuckers Firm to continue its business was achieving immediate goals, such as earning large sums of money and avoiding prosecution (Windle, 2013, p. 382). Moreover, it was driven by a more abstract ambition of creating and maintaining a violent reputation (Windle, 2013, p. 382). Tuckers Firm was successful mainly because of its clear structure and identified goals.
Cybercrime also involves many people and organizes them into groups to commit acts of fraud on the Internet. For instance, the Yahoo-boys is an association of undergraduate students primarily based in Nigeria with an expansion to various countries (Tade, 2016). The group studies Internet security networks to decide how the members can get quick monetary rewards without being identified (Tade, 2016). The operations of Yahoo-boys range from sending fraudulent messages to the users of online dating applications to acquiring passwords and sensitive information of people through hacking their social media platforms (Tade, 2016). It should be noted that the factor that pushes students to be a part of cybercrime is the fear of unemployment and the inability to provide their families with everything needed (Tade, 2016). On the example of this cybercrime group, individuals can see that, nowadays, illegal activities can be carried by the young generation. While the population usually associated crime with adults, at the moment, teenagers and university students highly engage in illicit operations and gain substantial profits.
While comparing these two case studies, it can be stated that they differ significantly because of the contrast in their nature, motivations, and processes. It should primarily be mentioned that both of these groups prove that organized crime “is growing fast and evolving at a rapid pace” (Saunders, 2017, p. 4). This tendency is caused by the rising desire of criminals to receive immediate funds without putting much physical or intellectual effort (Saunders, 2017, p. 15). In addition, after analyzing the Tuckers Firm, the example of Yahoo-boys indicates that the increase in the use of internet technologies has reconstructed the organizational environment of crime (Lavorgna, 2019, p. 357). Nowadays, teenagers are getting more involved in crime and use different procedures to earn money and deceive people. Individuals currently use various strategies to conduct financial transactions, sell drugs, and receive private information. All of these changes are caused by technological progress and the Internet.
Conclusion
To summarize, it is clear that globalization is a complex process that has both advantages and disadvantages. Recent technological advancements help people to communicate without experiencing cultural misunderstandings, deliver products and services all over the world, and establish strong professional relationships between businesses. At the same time, the Internet makes the life of criminals more comfortable. They organize groups and associations globally to cooperate on an international level, deceive social media users by stealing their identities and distribute pornographic and violent content. By applying their hacking skills, young generations transfer vast sums of money from other people’s accounts for their personal use and blackmail the followers of various applications. In general, globalization and the Internet help criminal enterprises to function and receive financial benefits. Therefore, the presented paper explored how these two concepts influence illicit operations by discussing each topic and contrasting two case studies.
Reference List
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