DEFINITIONS OF ORGANIZED CRIME VARY FROM SUPERORGANIZATIONS OF PROFESSIONAL CRIMINALS TO ASSOCIATIONS OF DISSIMILAR GROUPS WORKING TOGETHER. THE NUMEROUS KINDS OF INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL CRIMINALS WHO FORM THE UNDERWORLD ARE UNITED BY THEIR COMMON HATRED OF THE LAW; THEY FORM VARIOUS GROUPS WHICH CHANGE CONSTANTLY ACCORDING TO THE TIMES, CIRCUMSTANCES, AND INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITIES. SOME, LIKE THE MAFIA, ARE MORE STRUCTURED AND PERMANENT. THE REASON FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS' EXISTENCE IS TO ACHIEVE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE PROFIT IN EXPLOITING VICE OF ALL KINDS. AS EXAMPLES IN MONTREAL, CHICAGO, AND NEW YORK, AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL SYNDICATE FORMED IN ATLANTIC CITY IN 1929 ILLUSTRATE, EXTREME COMPETITION IN SUCH AREAS AS DRUG TRAFFIC, GAMBLING, AND BOOTLEGGING LEADS TO AGREEMENTS BETWEEN GANGS WHICH PRODUCE STRICT MONOPOLIES IN CERTAIN AREAS BY ELIMINATING COMPETITORS. JUST AS BUSINESSMEN IN A FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM OFTEN INFLUENCE POLITICIANS TO PASS LAWS FAVORABLE TO THEIR COMPANIES, THE UNDERWORLD TRIES TO BUY INFLUENCE IN POLITICAL CIRCLES. BECAUSE OF THE BASIC SIMILARITY BETWEEN LEGITIMATE AND ILLEGITIMATE BUSINESS CONDUCT, MANY UNDERWORLD LEADERS HAVE 'DIVERSIFIED'; I.E., BECOME INVOLVED IN LEGITIMATE BUSINESSES WHICH SERVE AS FRONTS OR COOPERATE IN ENTERPRISES SUCH AS PORNOGRAPHY AND GUN SALES WITH LEGITIMATE BUSINESSMEN. MANY ACTIVITIES OF SO-CALLED HONEST BUSINESSMEN (FRAUDULENT INVENTORIES, FICTICIOUS SALES, EXCESSIVE ADVERTISING, ILLEGAL RESTRICTIONS ON COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE, PIRATING OF TRADEMARKS, INFRACTIONS OF WORK RULES, QUALITY FRAUD, AND FISCAL FRAUD) IN NO WAY DIFFERENTIATE THESE INDIVIDUALS FROM CRIMINALS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS SUPPLIED. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)