ABSTRACT
Privatization of security is not a new phenomenon, but a new trend. East Indian companies employed up to 300,000 mercenaries at a time to support and secure their exploitation and trade from the 17th century through the early 19th century, until India and other parts of Asia were colonized and mercenaries were gradually replaced by colonial troops (Lock, 2001, p209). Nearly 200 years followed during which military and police forces were primarily controlled by the nation states. By the 21st century, however, a reemergence of widespread, large-scale mercenary employment had become evident.
