angelo.edu | This paper outlines the evolution of the Big Four one percent
motorcycle clubs—Hell’s Angels, Bandidos, Outlaws, and Pagans—from
near-groups to well-organized criminal confederations. The insights of criminological theory unify a variety of journalistic and scientiŽc sources into a holistic picture of the development of these
organizations. The interaction of members’ psychological needs with
group dynamics and mainstream social forces lead to periods of
expansion as core values shift to emphasize dominance over rivals. The
resulting interclub tensions encourage the creation of organized
criminal enterprises but also attract police attention. Internecine rivalries were eventually
subordinated to these enterprises as their profiŽt potential was
recognized and intergroup warfare took its toll. Core biker values were
reasserted as certain aspects of club operation became less countercultural in order
to assure the future of the subculture and its basic components.
