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Outsourcing intelligence: The relationship between the state and Private intelligence in post apartheid South Africa

The state claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of force. This is not to suggest however that the state cannot and does not outsource the practical exercise of force. On the contrary, the outsourcing of a wide range of military and security roles and functions is, to a greater or lesser extent,...

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Main Author: Butt, Stephen
Other Authors: Seegers, Annette
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Political Studies 2014
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access_status_str Open Access
author Butt, Stephen
author2 Seegers, Annette
author_browse Butt, Stephen
Seegers, Annette
author_facet Seegers, Annette
Butt, Stephen
author_sort Butt, Stephen
collection Thesis
description The state claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of force. This is not to suggest however that the state cannot and does not outsource the practical exercise of force. On the contrary, the outsourcing of a wide range of military and security roles and functions is, to a greater or lesser extent, a feature of most states. Important, yet least well understood is the outsourcing of intelligence. Explanations of the outsourcing of this sensitive function usually cite the incapacity of the state and the efficiency of the private sector. But is such outsourcing efficient? The evidence suggests not. Rather the outsourcing of intelligence has been characterized by inefficiency, corruption and criminality. This has certainly proved the case in post-apartheid South Africa where the outsourcing of intelligence by the state has been popular. This dissertation examines the relationship between the state and private intelligence in post-apartheid South Africa. It is divided into three chapters. The first chapter is concerned with establishing key concepts; namely the state, intelligence, and public and private intelligence; and with developing an interpretative framework of the relationship between the state and private intelligence. The second chapter provides an overview of intelligence in South Africa between 1949 and 2008. The third chapter considers the relationship between the state and private intelligence in post-apartheid South Africa. This dissertation concludes that the relationship between the state and private intelligence in post-apartheid South Africa can be best described as contradictory. While on the one hand the state has been hostile towards private intelligence, the outsourcing of intelligence has been favoured by the post-apartheid state. For the most part, such outsourcing has proved inefficient, corrupt and criminal; and has undermined what are already weak mechanisms of oversight and accountability.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
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license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2014
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spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/3796 Outsourcing intelligence: The relationship between the state and Private intelligence in post apartheid South Africa Butt, Stephen Seegers, Annette International Relations The state claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of force. This is not to suggest however that the state cannot and does not outsource the practical exercise of force. On the contrary, the outsourcing of a wide range of military and security roles and functions is, to a greater or lesser extent, a feature of most states. Important, yet least well understood is the outsourcing of intelligence. Explanations of the outsourcing of this sensitive function usually cite the incapacity of the state and the efficiency of the private sector. But is such outsourcing efficient? The evidence suggests not. Rather the outsourcing of intelligence has been characterized by inefficiency, corruption and criminality. This has certainly proved the case in post-apartheid South Africa where the outsourcing of intelligence by the state has been popular. This dissertation examines the relationship between the state and private intelligence in post-apartheid South Africa. It is divided into three chapters. The first chapter is concerned with establishing key concepts; namely the state, intelligence, and public and private intelligence; and with developing an interpretative framework of the relationship between the state and private intelligence. The second chapter provides an overview of intelligence in South Africa between 1949 and 2008. The third chapter considers the relationship between the state and private intelligence in post-apartheid South Africa. This dissertation concludes that the relationship between the state and private intelligence in post-apartheid South Africa can be best described as contradictory. While on the one hand the state has been hostile towards private intelligence, the outsourcing of intelligence has been favoured by the post-apartheid state. For the most part, such outsourcing has proved inefficient, corrupt and criminal; and has undermined what are already weak mechanisms of oversight and accountability. 2014-07-30T03:52:18Z 2014-07-30T03:52:18Z 2010 Master Thesis Masters MA http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3796 eng application/pdf Department of Political Studies Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town
spellingShingle International Relations
Butt, Stephen
Outsourcing intelligence: The relationship between the state and Private intelligence in post apartheid South Africa
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Outsourcing intelligence: The relationship between the state and Private intelligence in post apartheid South Africa
title_full Outsourcing intelligence: The relationship between the state and Private intelligence in post apartheid South Africa
title_fullStr Outsourcing intelligence: The relationship between the state and Private intelligence in post apartheid South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Outsourcing intelligence: The relationship between the state and Private intelligence in post apartheid South Africa
title_short Outsourcing intelligence: The relationship between the state and Private intelligence in post apartheid South Africa
title_sort outsourcing intelligence the relationship between the state and private intelligence in post apartheid south africa
topic International Relations
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3796
work_keys_str_mv AT buttstephen outsourcingintelligencetherelationshipbetweenthestateandprivateintelligenceinpostapartheidsouthafrica