Croatia’s Crime Problem
Jeffrey T. Kuhner, who wrote this piece, is clearly not smart enough to differentiate crime from communism, which leads to a really weird intro and a lot of ranting. Despite this, there’s some nice snippets that apply to a variety of places across the globe:
A Balkan criminal underworld took root, smuggling guns, drugs and cigarettes during much of the fighting. Many gangsters infiltrated the government. Also, many former communists simply changed the Titoist red star for the Croatian red-and-white checkerboard. They retained their authoritarian, corrupt habits. The Croatian state became pregnant with a new criminal elite – one whose tentacles reach into every sector of society.
Croatia’s politicians derive their power – and wealth – from statism and the massive bureaucracy, creating a vast patronage machine dispensing jobs to loyal allies.
The status quo may serve the elites well, but not the vast majority of Croatians. Unemployment is at 18 percent. The economy actually contracted last year. The soaring national debt threatens the country’s long-term future. Foreign investment and much-needed business capital are fleeing. Economic stagnation has set in. The gap between the rich and the poor is growing dangerously large, potentially leading to social instability. The middle class is shrinking. Croatia is becoming a two-tiered society, divided between the haves and have-nots. This is not the independent Croatiamany dreamed of – or died for.
-Shlok
Sign up for my newsletter.