The Russian Oligarchs are more comparable to the Robber Barons in late 19th Century America. Despite the similarities, however, there are important differences. The most important similarity is that both resulted from institutional and legal vacuums of which energetic, enterprising, unscrupulous men took advantage.
In late 19th Century America, a national economy was beginning to emerge, most notably in the railroads and oil industry. The U.S. economy was mainly local and regional. The Federal Government...
... the context of armed conflict or occupation is directly affected: Should they be there? Can they be legitimately targeted?
Private military and security companies: Mercenaries in suits and khakis?
A basic starting point of the debate over the privatization of military force has been the question of whether private military and security companies (PMSCs) and their personnel should be classified as mercenaries. The proponents of PMSCs argue that, on the basis of existing international law, these ...
... violence to private warriors
Under the normative power of the neoliberal form of globalization, currently the dominant socioeconomic model, governments all over the world have been implementing since the beginning of the 1980’s extensive programs of privatization of state assets and functions in an effort to meet demands for reduced operational costs and levels of corruption, and for a general improvement of efficiency. This trend was initially prevalent only in the economy, in fields like energy,...