How To Academy Podcast Mark Galeotti - How Crime Organises the World
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Jan 13, 2026 Global security expert Mark Galeotti delves into the pervasive nature of organized crime and its deep-rooted connection to our daily lives. He explains how criminal organizations are often intertwined with legitimate institutions, making crime a fundamental aspect of society. Galeotti discusses the moral ambiguities surrounding criminality, the evolution of cybercrime, and how state weaknesses can empower gangs. He also explores the surprising ways criminals can influence politics and culture, revealing the complex interplay between crime and governance.
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Crime Woven Into Everyday Life
- Organized crime is deeply embedded in modern society and often intertwined with legitimate institutions like banks and construction supply chains.
- Mark Galeotti argues that many everyday goods and funds circulate because of criminal networks rather than despite them.
What Makes Crime 'Organized'
- Organized crime is best defined as a long-term criminal conspiracy with hierarchy and social interaction aimed at profit rather than political change.
- Modern groups can be transnational and even operate without members ever meeting physically.
States And Mafias Mirror Each Other
- The state and organized crime co-evolve, sometimes buttressing each other or using each other as deniable instruments.
- State formation itself can trace roots to coercive, bandit-like origins that later legitimize into governance.
