But you get stuff from the mafia when you pay protection money too. They make sure no other gangs burn down your store or threatens you.
And if you don't think the roads in this country are constructed by a form of insider-old-white-boy's-club very similar to the mafia, well, you've probably never been to a local township planning meeting.
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but they're not simply out to get me, either
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And the mafia isn't simply out to get people either, rather it feeds off the work of others, taking a little here and there, returning a little to prevent people from getting too upset.
I'm not saying the analogy is perfect, obviously the government is a lot larger than any "criminal organization" that exists beneath it, it's the nature of the government to prevent competition.
I think Hobbe's "Leviathan" touched on some of these points.
Also, please don't take offense to my use of the word mafia as an Italian slur. I meant it only in the most generic way of the word. Please feel free to substitute "criminal organization" in place of mafia.