"A Savage Order" is a fascinating book that delves into how governments and other large organizations can solve systemic issues with corruption and violence. I picked it up because I was curious how large organizations ever de-corrupt in situations where corruption is culturally endemic and a vital part of the power/compensation structure. I'm about halfway through and would be excited to discuss it with anyone else who reads it in the next few weeks.
The book makes an interesting distinction between "weak states", which lack the power and resources to enforce laws, and "privilege violence", in which groups with financial power or social status deliberately co-opt or weaken the government for personal gain, or use the apparatus of government to create systemic oppression of a particular group, usually a racial or ethnic minority.
I just arrived in Tulum, Mexico, a town of about 47,000 that has seen a drastic increase (like 5x) in murder rates over the last few years -- it had 49 murders last year, which is almost 20x San Francisco's per-capita murder rate, which is itself many times higher than the rate in any decent European or Asian city.
According to A Savage Order, Mexican government organizations are often complicit in the operation of drug cartels as bribes provide a source of side revenue for underfunded police departments and other groups. However, they prefer monopolies to turf wars, as the latter lead to extensive street violence and civilian casualties.
Tulum is currently experiencing drug cartel a turf war, as dramatically rising demand for drugs by tourists has created a big market opportunity and various criminal organizations are looking to capture the demand. (I'll skip the side conversation about how the obvious solution is to legalize, regulate, and tax these drugs to reduce violence, reward businesses that operate within the law, and manage the supply chain quality, since people are going to find a way to buy them anyway.)
