Global crisis of prohibition policies towards psychoactive substances

Tema disertacije je razvoj prohibicije psihoaktivnih snovi kot družbenega konflikta, ki sčasoma preide v svetovno krizo. V prvem delu se predstavi teoretski okvir in opišejo raziskovalne metode. Izviren pristop se kaže v tem, da se prohibicija definira prototipno: po značilnostih najbolj tipičnih resničnih primerov. Najbolj tipično se pojavlja kot konflikt, njeno sredstvo pa je nasilje, kot ga razumeta Galtung in Žižek. Tema se je raziskovala prek primerjalne in zgodo-vinske metode, še posebej tako, da so se ugotovili vektorji specifičnega razvoja. V drugem, zgodovinskem delu se na podlagi obsežne historične analize ti vektorji prepoznajo kot verski in evgenični. Obe vrsti prizadevanj sta l. 1920 privedli prve svetovne prohibicijske krize, saj so tedaj začele tri velike prohibicije: alkohola v ZDA, opija na Kitajskem in konoplje v Mehiki. Nobena ni delovala, še posebej neugodne pa so bile posledice ameriške prohibicije. Te pomenijo precedens, ki se je zgodovinsko ponavljal. V tem precedensu se že zasledi pojav obsežne organizirane kriminalitete, ki si pridobi tolikšno moč in vpliv, da postane pomemben igralec v kapitalističnem sistemu – poleg velekapitala, veleposesti in politične oblasti se pojavi še “velekriminal”. To je krizni pojav, ki ga podrobno obravnava tretji del. Velekriminal se analizira s kriminoloških, vojaških in ideoloških vidikov, v kontekstu nekropolitike, padlih in krhkih držav, predstavijo se njegovi zgodovinski primeri. Analizirajo se bistvene lastnosti latinskoame-riškega velekriminala: kult zločinske osebnosti, caudillismo in skrajno nasilje. Disertacija nato predstavi kolumbijsko in mehiško velekriminalno krizo ter “kartele” kot najbolj tipične pred-stavnike. Poseben poudarek se v študiji primera namenja Zalivskemu kartelu, ki je najstarejša zločinska organizacija v Mehiki, kot pionir kriminalnega paramilitarizma pa je bila zelo uničujoča. Da bi se soočili s temi problemi, je nujno spremeniti paradigme mišljenja o prohibiciji in psihoaktivnih snoveh nasploh.The dissertation discusses how the prohibition of psychoactive substances escalated into a social conflict, causing two global prohibition crises. The first part develops a theoretical frame-work and provides an overview of the research methods. Prohibition is defined by applying a prototypical understanding to it. This means that a phenomenon is defined by its most typical real occurrence, not by abstract characteristics. Most typically, prohibition manifests as conflict, its principal means being violence, as understood by Galtung and Žižek. The research methods are principally historical and comparative, especially by establishing the vectors of historical development. In the second, historical part a detailed analysis identifies two such vectors as being puritanical religion and eugenics. Both efforts resulted in three great waves of prohibition in 1920: of alcohol in the US, opium in China, and cannabis in Mexico. None of them worked and they spurned a global prohibition crisis. The unintended consequences of American prohibition were especially pernicious, signifying a precedent which kept on repeating. Organised crime played a very important part in this precedent. Due to prohibition, it became so powerful and influential that it became an important factor inside the capitalist system: the large landowners, the bourgeoisie, and political power had to make way for another interest group, which we can simply dub “Big Crime”. This is a crisis phenomenom. A side effect of prohibition, its criminological, military, and ideological aspects are discussed in the third part. The analysis of Big Crime then makes way for necropolitics and the fertile ground of failed and fragile states. Historical examples of Big Crime are presented. Special attention is then given to Latin American Big Crime and with it the notorious criminal cartels. Their main characteristics can be seen in the criminal personality cult, caudillismo, as well as in excessive, extreme violence. Colombian and Mexican cartels are particularly harmful manifestations of Big Crime. The case study in the last chapter presents the Gulf Cartel, the oldest and, by virtue of its recent transformation into a paramilitary force, also the most destructive Mexican criminal organization. To face these problems, a thorough paradigm shift is needed, one that potentially takes a different attitude to psychoactive substances