Lessons to Learn from "The Pinkertons"

David Trammel's picture

Anyone who has studied the history of the 19th and early 20th century has heard the name "Pinkerton". First as a private militia for Andrew Carnegie, and then later as a corporate interests firm specializing in security and strike breaking, in the 150 year history, the Pinkertons have refocused and rebranded themselves several time. Now they look like they are both aware of and see the profit in dealing with security in the Long Descent.

Climate Chaos Is Coming — and the Pinkertons Are Ready

(If you can't see the article in your browser, try opening the link in a incognito window (in Chrome) or other non-tracking windows depending on your browser)

"All businesses exposed themselves to risk, which had to be mitigated, insured or, more relevantly, defended against. Even if the Pinkertons couldn’t predict the specific risks of the future, they had a general sense of what it might look like — and what opportunities they might avail themselves of as it materialized. According to the World Bank, by 2050 some 140 million people may be displaced by sea-level rise and extreme weather, driving escalations in crime, political unrest and resource conflict.

For Pinkerton, the bet is twofold: first, that there’s no real material difference between climate change and any other conflict — as the world grows more predictably dangerous, tactical know-how will simply be more in demand than ever. And second, that by adding data analytics, Pinkerton stands to compete more directly with traditional consulting firms like Deloitte, which offer pre- and post disaster services (supply-chain monitoring, damage documentation, etc.), but which cannot, say, dispatch a helicopter full of armed guards to Guatemala in an afternoon. In theory, Pinkerton can do both — a fully militarized managerial class at corporate disposal."

---

Leaving aside the "gun porn" of corporate executives shooting assault rifles, the article provides a good look at what corporations are preparing for, even while they downplay their role in keeping business as usual running.

Justin Patrick Moore's picture

This sounds like it came straight out of a Bruce Sterling or William Gibson novel.

Interesting about how they penetrated unions & such - I only really knew about them as a detective agency in the 19th century, didn't really know they have remained at it, & been involved in these other fields.

What will be interesting to me is for broke people, poor people, to learn tactical skillsets for themselve & their families, because they won't be able to afford to hire Pinkerton's -hence the usefulness of Green Wizardry and related skills.
Also, I do think we will have a resurgence of some form of communism/socialism/unionism on the left (if/when they rally). Some group like the Pinkerton's (or them again) might be used again -even though they ain't no pinkos, ha ha- to infiltrate unions & syndicates.

Thanks for this!