National Intelligence Systems as Networks: Power Distribution and Organizational Risk in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa

Marco Cepik,Gustavo Möller

doi:10.1590/1981-3821201700010001

Marco Cepik, Gustavo Möller

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-3821201700010001

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Abstract

This article compares the intelligence systems of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Three questions drive the research: How are the national intelligence systems organized? How is power distributed among organizations in each country? What are the organizational risks? By employing Network Analysis to publicly-available data on intelligence agencies, collegiate bodies, and supervising organizations, authority relations and information flows were mapped. Regarding organizational configuration, similarities were found between India and Russia, as well as between China and South Africa. Brazil differs from the four countries. As for the power distribution, in Russia, Brazil, and India intelligence is subordinated to the government, and shows more centrality in the cases of China and South Africa. Finally, Russia runs the highest risk of having an intelligence system less able to adapt to strategic circumstances, at the same time being the most resilient among the five countries. Likewise, China has the highest risk of a single actor being able to retain information, acting as a gatekeeper. Network Analysis has proved to be a useful approach to promote a comparative research program in the Intelligence Studies field.

Highlights

This article compares the intelligence systems of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa
How is power distributed among specific organizations in each national intelligence system? 03
What are the implications of a given distribution of power to the system's overall organizational risk?

Summary

Gustavo Möller

This article compares the intelligence systems of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. National Intelligence Systems as Networks: Power Distribution and Organizational Risk in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Their best-regarded mission, is to provide specialized knowledge about threats and vulnerabilities to the benefit of the national security decision-making process Their internal workings, institutional interactions, and externalities are the main subjects of an interdisciplinary field of research called Intelligence Studies. Network analysis will be employed to assess national intelligence systems in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. These five countries are members of the international group called BRICS, which brings together the largest developing economies in the world. We compare the results obtained for each country in order to answer the research questions and to indicate limits and challenges for the round of comparative intelligence studies

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Conclusions