Colonel Kurtz vs Lau
Two villains, one criminological theory: Postcolonial criminology. We compare Colonel Kurtz and Lau: their profile, how dangerous they are, and where they meet and part.
Colonel Kurtz and Lau share neither a film nor a universe, but they share something deeper: the same criminological theory explains them, Postcolonial criminology. That makes their face-off more than a “who would win?”: it is the same mechanism of crime taking two different shapes. The biggest gap is in violence: Colonel Kurtz beats Lau by 23 points.
The face-off · criminal profile
On paper, the more dangerous one is Colonel Kurtz, with a danger index of 82/100 against 77. But paper isn’t everything.
The index weighs violence, manipulation and intelligence, and subtracts empathy (the colder, the more dangerous). It is a reading for debate, not a sentence: the theory matters more than the score.
Colonel Kurtz
Lau
Why does the same theory explain both?
Origins, authors, criticism and the case studies in depth.
Read “Postcolonial criminology” →Frequently asked questions
Who is more dangerous, Colonel Kurtz or Lau?
On the KRIMINIS danger index (violence, manipulation, intelligence and lack of empathy), Colonel Kurtz scores higher: 82 against 77 out of 100.
Which criminological theory explains Colonel Kurtz and Lau?
The same theory sheds light on both: Postcolonial criminology. That is what makes this a revealing duel: two different embodiments of the same criminal mechanism.
How do Colonel Kurtz and Lau differ?
The biggest gap is in violence: Colonel Kurtz beats Lau by 23 points.