Understanding the Corporate Nature of Cartels: Insights from

Yes, you read that right.

Most people think of drug cartels as chaotic, violent, underground operations. But Narconomics by Tom Wainwright (a former Economist journalist) reveals something far more unsettling: Cartels operate like corporations. They recruit, manage, brand, expand, and even handle public relations. They don’t just sell drugs—they manage markets, adapt to policy changes, and optimize supply chains. In short, they follow the same economic incentives and operational logic that drive legal businesses.

This book flipped my perspective on crime and economics. Here's what stood out—and why it matters.

🧠 Stories That Made Me Pause and Think

🔹 The HR Department of a Drug Cartel

Just like corporations, cartels worry about employee retention. Replacing trained workers (even hitmen!) is costly. They develop loyalty programs, offer promotions, and sometimes even pensions. It sounds bizarre, but it makes perfect economic sense. High turnover hurts productivity—even in the underworld.

🔹 Branding Like McDonald's

Groups like the Zetas franchise their name. Local gangs pay to operate under their brand, gaining protection, logistics, and reputation. In return, they surrender a share of revenue. When a territory is marked with a powerful cartel’s graffiti, it sends a signal. People know what to expect—and fear—under that brand. Cartels, like fast-food chains, understand that brand recognition drives market dominance.

🔹 Monopsony in the Cocaine Trade

Cartels often act as monopsonies—single dominant buyers—when dealing with coca farmers in regions like Peru or Colombia. These farmers have no alternate buyers and limited bargaining power. This allows cartels to dictate prices, even when cocaine prices rise globally. The outcome? The lowest tier in the value chain stays poor, while profits concentrate at the top. This mirrors how large retailers often control prices for small-scale suppliers in legal markets.

🔹 How Bad Policy Fuels the Drug Trade

One of the book’s most compelling arguments is this: Attacking supply without reducing demand makes the business more profitable. When governments burn coca fields or arrest couriers, they reduce supply—but demand remains steady. The result? Prices rise, and every successful shipment becomes more valuable. This gives cartels more cash to invest in innovation, smuggling, and recruitment. In short, misguided policy becomes a growth strategy—for the wrong side.

📘 What I Took Away from Narconomics

✅ Incentives drive behavior—always. Whether it’s a CEO chasing quarterly profits or a gang leader managing risk, actions follow incentives. Systems shape outcomes.

✅ Markets are neutral. They respond to forces—legal or not. Supply, demand, pricing, branding, and competition exist in every market. Understanding illegal economies helps us design better policies for legal ones too.

✅ Monopsony power is real—and destructive. Whether it’s cartels squeezing farmers or corporations squeezing suppliers, economic concentration creates systemic imbalance.

✅ Good intentions ≠ good strategy. From the war on drugs to international aid, well-meaning interventions often fail because they ignore economic feedback loops.

🔍 Cartels vs. Corporations: An Economic Comparison

Aspect	Corporation	Cartel
Organizational Structure	Clear hierarchy with departments (HR, Ops, Sales)	Chain of command with cells (trafficking, enforcement)
Human Resources	Recruitment, salaries, performance incentives	Loyalty programs, recruitment from vulnerable areas
Branding & Franchising	Franchises, trademarks, global branding	Territory graffiti, franchised gang names (e.g., Zetas)
Logistics & Supply Chain	Warehouses, transport, inventory	Smuggling routes, safe houses, bribery-based logistics
Pricing Strategy	Market research, segmentation, discounting	Risk-adjusted pricing, scarcity premiums
Legal Framework	Regulated by law, courts, taxation	Extralegal, violent dispute resolution
Market Power	Monopoly or oligopoly control over consumers	Monopsony control over coca farmers

🎯 Why This Book Matters

This isn’t just a book about cartels.

It’s a case study in how people behave when outcomes. It’s a window into economic logic that applies far beyond the black market. This book reminds us to stop asking “Who’s doing wrong?” and start asking “What system is driving this behavior?”

If you're interested in economics, policy design, criminology, or just how the world really works, Narconomics is a must-read.

📝 In Conclusion

Have you come across other books that reveal economics in unexpected places? I’d love to hear your recommendations.