The Privatization of Security

Abstract

From ragtag bands of mercenaries to organized and well-funded private military companies, much of the responsibility for providing security for citizenry has been moving from governmental to nongovernmental hands. This article provides a comprehensive exploration of this privatization of security. After summarizing recent trends and supplying a theoretical context, it presents a multifaceted taxonomy of the different types of security privatization, and then proceeds to examine carefully the causes and potential consequences of this pattern. Brief case study evidence illustrates and fleshes out the generalizations presented. Finally, the complexities surrounding responses to security privatization are examined.