Prologue: The Democratic Republic of Capitalism

The ultimate expression of power is the ability to act beyond the confines of the law, with contemporary society enabling elite groups to wield ‘panoramic power’. This book charts how a select few have captured such power and how, along the way, they have eroded the very principles and processes of democracy. Within this democratic republic of capitalism, crimes, including the murderous actions of the corporate giants that provide us with life’s luxuries and necessities, financial crimes that span the globe, the harmful practices of weapon manufacturing, and the data-gathering activities of both media and educational institutions, will each be brought to attention. In doing so, the authors offer new thinking on damaging structures of power and privilege.

This text proposes a thought-provoking and demanding exploration. It contends that for critical criminology to effectively illuminate the pressing issues we confront, there needs to be a comprehensive examination of the lives of our most vulnerable and marginalised citizens in contrast to the most influential. To achieve this objective, the text will leverage a diverse range of examples, cases and controversies pertinent to scholars in criminal and social justice. It argues that a genuinely enlightened comprehension of powerful crimes requires an examination at the meso, micro and macro levels, encompassing a thorough understanding of the socio-economic, political and cultural contexts in which crimes unfold.