MINDLESS MUSINGS

As long as there have been laws, there have been those who disagree with them. Most begrudgingly comply and pretty much everyone breaks a few ‘little’ ones now and then. A few others will break the law by ignorance or accident; others again may disobey as a form of defiance or protest. However, we usually reserve the title ‘criminal’ for those people who do this kind of stuff on a regular basis and may even do it for a living. Of course, if you break the big ones, you earn yourself the title instantly! Murder, rape, armed robbery etc. welcome to the club, whether you like it or not.

This being my corporate thread, I am most interested in the concept of ‘organized crime’. When a motley crew of thieves, thugs and hangers on decide to form a ‘gang’ and, like any business affiliation, try to pool their resources to create a greater outcome per member than could be achieved working solo. I’m sure more fail than succeed in the same manner also.

I’m not necessarily talking about a band of thieves kind of scenario; pickpockets, burglars, car thieves or even stick-up guys. These gangs might work alone or be part of a larger crew. In business terms these guys are the tradesmen. If you have a good reputation, you may be recruited by the mob; this may or may not be a simple invitation that can be refused, by the way. Trying to be a lone wolf, or even a small pack can be very bad for your health in a big city.

I mean there are even gangs whose modus operandi is standing over and robbing smaller crews. You may have to pay protection money just like the square head grocer in a bid to keep these hyenas at bay; many of which work for the very same group you will be paying. This protection racket can be a highly profitable business model if you can pull it off.

Just imagine collecting a fee from ALL the businesses in your area. Not just the stores, restaurants and street vendors; but also, the thieves, the drug dealers, the pimps, gambling dens and anyone else you can intimidate. That’s a large chunk of change!

This is where the brains and brawn balance becomes important. Without the muscle to create the required fear you have no business model (you also cannot fight off the competitors that will be snapping at your heels). Nevertheless, a group of undisciplined and disordered knuckleheads will not last very long.

The boss of this outfit first and foremost must figure out how to maintain authority over a group of nefarious hoodlums. A firm hand and proper remuneration are essential; unruly and/or underpaid villains can prove quite destructive. Disloyalty can easily translate to defection to a rival or just snitching out of spite. A disgruntled crew might be quite receptive to a change in leadership.

Weasels informing law enforcement or trading secrets to other mobs are a very real and perpetual threat. Remember you don’t get fired and toddle off with your golden handshake. You rot in prison or anywhere they decide to toss your carcass.

That will do for underworld management 101. Now where was I?

Organized crime – right. Let’s use turn of the 20th century New York for its familiarity. Lots of boroughs divided up along racial lines; many of the slum like ones inhabited primarily by very recently arrived immigrants. They flock together for a sense of insulation through shared language and culture. Sadly, this does not prevent exploitation from your own people.

The local law enforcement is unreliable and often unsympathetic to your plight. Almost all cultures have some form of alternative in regard to authority. Many of these immigrants are here because they have fled persecution from authoritarian and/or severely corrupt governments. Although even a more equitable nation state would still have these same shady organisations. They would be the providers of illicit goods and services and, of course, ‘protection’.

These groups or their representatives arrived along with all the other immigrants in hopes of a better life. They may have their own individual title: La Cos Nostra, Yakuza, Triad. Or they may be identified simply by the country followed by Mafia or Mob: Russian Mafia, Irish Mob. Interestingly if you just hear the word Mafia on its own, most people automatically think of Italy or Sicily.

Anyway, these crews existed to perform the role of organised crime in the various ways (and probably many more I have no clue about) I have described above. They operated mostly in their own areas, but like their tribal ancestors, the temptation to expand was always present and you had to be ever vigilant and willing to fight if you wanted to keep control of your turf.

Which brings us back to brains and brawn. You need the soldiers, but you also need the earners just as much (most good members could do both to some extent). Not only do you need to keep your underlings paid, but you also need to grease the right palms in local government and law enforcement. You also need to be able to negotiate with hostile neighbours.

Beside the potential for violence these groups also helped solve problems in their communities; all favours come with obligations of course. Intimidation and brutality can provide a decent income, but its main application was keeping order and power. The best mobs provided stuff the people wanted. Either stolen merchandise at bargain prices or illicit goods and services that can’t be found elsewhere.

No sooner is a commodity classified as illegal do the best black-market operators establish a supply chain. Thus, governments are often lining the pockets of organised crime members whenever they ban anything. I finally got to where I was planning to start. See you next time.