Week 9: Beginning of the End
For one the final times (I think) welcome back!
With everything coming to an end, both for you having to comment and for me having to do research, it is only natural to do a final summary of everything that has happened over the course of my research. It feels like I was in China or Singapore just a week ago, and now I’m here writing my final blog post.
The histories of Myanmar and Colombia take place so far away from each other, on different continents with vastly different cultures and societies, yet throughout my research I found that (when it comes to drug syndicates, at least) there are so many similarities. Myanmar and Colombia both have suffered from political conflict and have weak governments who can do little to fend off criminals, both foreign and domestic. With the ideal climate, geographical proximity to supply chains, and history of being intertwined with the plague of deadly and addictive narcotics, Myanmar and Colombia very much suffered from the same unlucky features.
However, beyond their similarities, the one thing I have found most interesting about this entire project are the people. Myanmar, a mess of different ethnic groups and even remnants of World War 2 Chinese nationalists. Colombia, a politically divided country taken advantage of by the famous Pablo Escobar and by armed militias, drug traffickers, and extremists. They are very much unique countries with vibrant cultures and histories who had the unfortunate privilege of being the hotspots of the global narcotics trade, countries which I hope find their footing through strong global efforts or through economic rise that lifts people out of the drug trade.
When I present my AP Research presentation next week, my key findings are divided into several sections, each of different variables. First off, political violence is a foundational trigger for weak government, and in turn the rise of splinter groups. Second, drug trafficking is a product of ideal geographic and supply chain locations being in a nation where those splinter groups rise, and require funding. Third, poor rural populations with limited government regulation are easily drawn into the drug economy due to the cash-rich nature of the industry. I also considered the fact that historical connections to the illegal drug trade (like in Myanmar with the British or in Colombia with the Marijuana smugglers) make regions more susceptible to relapsing or expanding their existing trades. And finally, the organizational style of drug syndicates is critical when responding to targeted crackdowns, with more hierarchical centralized patterns (like the Medellin Cartel) being more vulnerable to “War on Drugs” style asymmetric warfare by the government.
We’ve been over a lot, and I genuinely hope you learned enough to at least get through your commentate on a senior’s blog assignment.
Comments:
All viewpoints are welcome but profane, threatening, disrespectful, or harassing comments will not be tolerated and are subject to moderation up to, and including, full deletion.