Those Irish...

Loved O'Brien's article. I think, especially in this day and age, it is crucial that we all understand the difference between nationalism and democracy as well as the correlation between the two terms. In his article "Nationalists and Democrats," Conor Cruise O'Brien seeks to establish the difference between "the conglomerate of emotions" and "the system of government." Although most of the article did not directly relate to the dealings of the Winter Hill Gang, I was especially interested by O'Brien's discussion of the IRA and the background of the United Kingdom-Ireland rift.After doing some research on O'Brien's background, I was not very surprised to learn that he was a supporter of the IRA. This is especially shown through his concluding line: "I see little democratic hope at all, in this century." By saying this, O'Brien was basically telling his readers of the inevitable rise of nationalism and fall of the democratic state. He actually hoped that the North would remain separate from the Republic of Ireland. Obviously, this was a very radical viewpoint for an Irish man to take because most Irish are against the IRA and against British control over Northern Ireland. While his position against a united Ireland enervated many Irish, his staunch defense of nationalism left me thinking about the rise of the nation state and the future of democracy.

The End of the Nation State

In his article "The End of the Nation State," Kenichi Ohmae discusses the end of the nation state and the necessity of a transition back to regional power. What piqued my interest in Ohmae's argument was his discussion of how the peoples of the world, "no matter how far-flung geographically or disparate culturally," are all linked to much of the same sources of global information. Obviously this is a direct result of the birth of the Technology Age. The availability of global information has influenced the government to impose more restrictions and control. This, in turn, has played a major role in leakage of informatoin. These kinds of leaks make it possible for gangs to succesfully operate under the radar.

Global Organized Crime: How the Winter Hill Gang Goes Global

James H. Mittelman, author of Global Organized Crime, discusses the transformation of organized crime since the 1970s. It is a fact that the world is becoming increasingly more global. As we have stepped onto the threshold of globalization, we have also come to see ourselves be swept up into the technological era. Technology has given way to new "forms of illegality such as computer crimes, money laundering, stealing nuclear materials and sophisticated fraud" (235). These new branches of crime have played a major role in the success of gangs worldwide--even the Winter Hill Gang. While the Winter Hill Gang is primarily operated locally in South Boston, MA, the gang still plays a role in the world at large. Whether it was funding and arming efforts of the terrorist group the IRA in Ireland or working with loan sharks to fix bookmaking operations, Whitey and the Winter Hill Gang used globalization to their advantage in many ways. When the world entered the technology age, it became more connected therefore enabling a new age of criminal activity. While we relish the idea of being connected to nations across the globe and having the ability to contact someone, no matter their location, within a very short period of time, we must be conscious of the negative aspects of our global world. Technology has allowed crime organizations to mobilize and terrorize at a moments notice.