The Canadian Army Journal

increase in the levels of global conflict post-Cold War. Like Nossal, this is attributed to
the collapse of the bi-polar world model. He then ascribes three patterns to this
expansion of global violence: the implosion of states, the explosion of cross border
conflict, and the growth of the influence of world markets. This market growth has been
uneven and not shared evenly across the world, or demographically either, leading to a
large segment of disaffected youth, who are the cannon fodder for organized crime,
illegal economy and war. 24
Another factor described by Singer is the increased role of non-state actors in
violence. The loss of the monopoly on violence by states has led to a plethora of groups
on the international stage, ranging from terrorist organizations to organized crime.
These non-state actors have led to opportunities for private military firms, working for
state agents that counter the outlaw groups, such as non-governmental organizations
that operate in this complex environment.
Singer also talks about the flood of ex-soldiers onto the private market after the
peace dividend of the post-Cold War drawdown of forces. This downsizing was
dramatic, with Singer arguing that militaries, worldwide, employed approximately seven
million fewer soldiers than they did in 1989. 25 This led to an abundance of military
expertise available on the open market for the private sector to use.
Along with the flood of people onto the open market, drastic downsizing also led to
a flood of weapons. Not only did downsizing in militaries, such as the Soviet Union or
East Germany, offer typical Warsaw Pact weapons at cut rate prices, but relatively high
tech weaponry moved from the monopoly of the state into private hands. Additionally,
the growth in availability of cheap, light weaponry such as AK-47s has meant that the
state no longer has primary control of these means to wage war or to keep internal
security. This has led to the explosion of armed non-state actors, arms dealers and
brokers, of which MPFs can tap into to equip their own personnel. 26
Singer also argues that the decline of the influence of government at the local level
has created a climate for private security firms to flourish. The current climate of global
economies, weakened state authority, and an inability to influence items that were once
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