Elites in dispute for popular markets: competition and trust in the (il)legal economy of vehicles

Abstract

The article analyzes the disputes between elites for the expansion of markets linked to vehicles towards low income sectors. We take two cases as empirical input: the used car auction sector, which opposes traditional elites and global financial elites; and disputes between traditional insurers and emerging elites linked to vehicle protection associations. We argue that the centrality of trust in these conflicts highlights that crime, as a fact or threat, is central to the construction and functioning of vehicle legal markets and related products. The article is based on conferences, testimonies and interviews available on the internet, materials produced by actors engaged in disputes and draft laws and legislation.