Peace, Profit or Plunder? – The privatisation of security in war-torn African societies

Peace, Profit or Plunder? – Jakkie Cilliers (1999, Institute for Security Studies) examines one of the most contentious developments in modern African conflict: the rise of private security and military actors in war‑torn societies and the wide‑ranging implications of commodified violence and protection. In Peace, Profit or Plunder?, editor Jakkie Cilliers, working with co‑editor Peggy Mason and a slate of expert contributors, brings together research initially presented at a 1998 Pretoria conference and developed into a comprehensive monograph. The book provides a multidisciplinary and critical perspective on how private security companies, once marginal players, grew to fill power vacuums left by weakened states, influencing the trajectory of conflicts in countries such as Angola and Sierra Leone. This impactful 1999 publication by the Institute for Security Studies is essential for those seeking to understand the complex web of security, business interests, and state fragility in Africa.

The strength of Peace, Profit or Plunder? lies in its analytical depth and diverse case studies that illustrate broader trends in the privatisation of security. Chapters explore the globalisation and expansion of private security industries, the challenges of external response mechanisms, and the collapse of traditional state security structures. Detailed examinations of specific firms — including studies of outfits like Executive Outcomes and Gurkha Security Guards — show how private military contractors have operated on the continent and the ways in which their activities intersect with economic, political, and legal concerns. The work also situates these developments within international humanitarian law and the broader debate on human security. Cilliers and his co‑authors challenge readers to think critically about the implications of outsourcing violence and safety in a world where state authority is increasingly fragmented.

As a policy‑oriented and scholarly resource, Peace, Profit or Plunder? serves academics, practitioners and policymakers alike who grapple with questions of governance, conflict resolution and the ethical boundaries of privatised force. Its synthesis of theory, empirical research and case analysis makes it a foundational text for understanding the shifting landscape of security provision in Africa at the turn of the millennium — and its insights remain relevant to contemporary discussions on private security actors and state sovereignty.

Condition: Very Good – No notable defects.