Organised crime and the state in Spain

This thesis seeks to explore the reasons why a particular form of ‘organised crime’, namely illicit enterprise, exists and flourishes in Spain. In explaining this phenomenon thus far, journalists, academics and police (and other) officials tend to point to the fact that the country possesses a number of characteristics, or a set of competitive advantages, that make Spain simply ideal for this kind of criminal activity. Predominantly, these include factors such as the location and geography of Spain, the nature of Spain’s industry and economy and the presence of immigrant communities. These factors will be explored in the thesis and their usefulness as explanatory factors of illicit enterprise will be assessed. The thesis will argue that, although the conventional explanations often used to account for this phenomenon have some validity, they are essentially too superficial, and thus insufficient, to provide a comprehensive understanding. Stimulated by the wider literature on organised crime, the thesis therefore hypothesises that other key explanations relating to certain weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the political, judicial, legal, and law enforcement spheres, which are open to exploitation by criminal groups, are essential in understanding Spain’s particular susceptibility to illicit enterprise. The hypothesis will be tested by exploring and analysing factors such as corruption and a lack of transparency and accountability in the political, and other, realms; a lack of political and public attention given to the problem of illicit enterprise; some legal and judicial deficiencies; and some apparent complexities surrounding law enforcement and policing structures. The thesis contends that the essential explanation for Spain’s particular susceptibility to illicit enterprise lies in these vulnerabilities.