protection fee
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Category
1. outline
Protection (money)[1]
It refers to money or a favor given (usually extorted) in exchange for various types of cooperation and protection from a criminal organization or a certain group . The translation of protection tax is sometimes used in the sense that it must be paid continuously, not just once, but this is only a figurative meaning, and since taxes only refer to things that citizens pay to the state or local government, it is obviously an incorrect expression.
It refers to money or a favor given (usually extorted) in exchange for various types of cooperation and protection from a criminal organization or a certain group . The translation of protection tax is sometimes used in the sense that it must be paid continuously, not just once, but this is only a figurative meaning, and since taxes only refer to things that citizens pay to the state or local government, it is obviously an incorrect expression.
2. explanation
As the main source of income for criminal organizations, it refers to 'protecting' merchants from those who interfere with their business, gangsters , or thieves , mediating and resolving disputes, and providing various services that the police or public authorities cannot provide, and receiving compensation in return.[2]
In fact, if there is one positive function of gangsters, it may be mutual assistance, but in reality, there are many cases where they suck blood from citizens through blackmail and threats . This is because in most cases, they do not help properly when help is needed, but rather viciously exploit money. If protection money is not paid, brutal violence and retaliation will naturally follow, and they may be driven out of the market or ostracized or bullied, so there are many cases where they give it in vain.
A representative example is the gangsters who were extorting protection money in Koreatown during the LA riots . When the riots broke out, instead of protecting Koreans, they robbed Korean stores and ran away. In contrast to the Hispanic gangs and triads at the time who tried to protect their money at all costs,[3] Because of this, Koreans had to form their own vigilante groups to fight the riots without the protection of gangsters. When the gangsters who returned after the situation calmed down were still demanding protection money, the Koreans who fought against the riots on their own said, "They were just extorting money for protection, but when the incident broke out, why are the guys who were running away coming here? If you do it one more time, I will shoot you." Because of the threat, the gangsters were not even able to use paper in Koreatown.
In Italy, this protection fee paid to the mafia is called Pizzo, and the profits are so enormous that it is said that in Sicily alone it amounts to 1.6 billion euros per year. Even though Sicily is a region in Italy whose economic power and standard of living for its residents lags behind those of Eastern Europe, the fact that it is making this much profit is incredible. So recently, Addio Pizzo[4] It is said that there is also a protection money information campaign going on.
Even gangsters and yakuza know that it is illegal to just rip them off, so they sell things like towels or flower arrangements as a formality and receive money in return, or they work as bouncers or troubleshooters for customers who are not interested. They ask for or offer favors or help, even if it is not money. This is well depicted in the movie The Godfather . Mutual aid is provided by exchanging favors and help rather than money.[5]
Even if they are not gangsters, they sometimes receive money as protection fees from merchant associations or other interest groups. Related article In some cases, such as in corrupt countries, police sometimes rip off protection money from criminals instead of arresting them . The Brazilian police are a representative example, and when off duty, they lead a double life as militia members and engage in conflict over interests with cartels.
Even in prisons , there is a kind of protection fee. In particular, in American prisons, common criminals who are not wealthy and have difficulty surviving on their own often receive protection in exchange for giving a snack to the gangsters in the prison every day. In this case, the insufficient amount may be repaid in cash through members of the gang outside the prison after release from prison.
In fact, if there is one positive function of gangsters, it may be mutual assistance, but in reality, there are many cases where they suck blood from citizens through blackmail and threats . This is because in most cases, they do not help properly when help is needed, but rather viciously exploit money. If protection money is not paid, brutal violence and retaliation will naturally follow, and they may be driven out of the market or ostracized or bullied, so there are many cases where they give it in vain.
A representative example is the gangsters who were extorting protection money in Koreatown during the LA riots . When the riots broke out, instead of protecting Koreans, they robbed Korean stores and ran away. In contrast to the Hispanic gangs and triads at the time who tried to protect their money at all costs,[3] Because of this, Koreans had to form their own vigilante groups to fight the riots without the protection of gangsters. When the gangsters who returned after the situation calmed down were still demanding protection money, the Koreans who fought against the riots on their own said, "They were just extorting money for protection, but when the incident broke out, why are the guys who were running away coming here? If you do it one more time, I will shoot you." Because of the threat, the gangsters were not even able to use paper in Koreatown.
In Italy, this protection fee paid to the mafia is called Pizzo, and the profits are so enormous that it is said that in Sicily alone it amounts to 1.6 billion euros per year. Even though Sicily is a region in Italy whose economic power and standard of living for its residents lags behind those of Eastern Europe, the fact that it is making this much profit is incredible. So recently, Addio Pizzo[4] It is said that there is also a protection money information campaign going on.
Even gangsters and yakuza know that it is illegal to just rip them off, so they sell things like towels or flower arrangements as a formality and receive money in return, or they work as bouncers or troubleshooters for customers who are not interested. They ask for or offer favors or help, even if it is not money. This is well depicted in the movie The Godfather . Mutual aid is provided by exchanging favors and help rather than money.[5]
Even if they are not gangsters, they sometimes receive money as protection fees from merchant associations or other interest groups. Related article In some cases, such as in corrupt countries, police sometimes rip off protection money from criminals instead of arresting them . The Brazilian police are a representative example, and when off duty, they lead a double life as militia members and engage in conflict over interests with cartels.
Even in prisons , there is a kind of protection fee. In particular, in American prisons, common criminals who are not wealthy and have difficulty surviving on their own often receive protection in exchange for giving a snack to the gangsters in the prison every day. In this case, the insufficient amount may be repaid in cash through members of the gang outside the prison after release from prison.
3.
[1] The money at the end is often omitted. In other words, one of the missions in GTA4, “Do you have Protection?” has a dual meaning of “Do you have protection measures ?” and “Do you have protection fees (to pay me)?” In fact, in one of the works, he demands that a porn director pay protection money that he had not paid, and shoots his partner to extort the protection money.[2] For example, let's look at the case of the mafia in Italy . A pork wholesaler wants to sell pork to merchants, but he wants to save on various taxes and expenses, including consumption tax . So he wants to smuggle to retailers, but he doesn't know if there are any scammers among the merchants, and the merchants can also scam him by giving them spoiled pork or low-quality pork with false origins. In this situation, he gives the mafia a bribe and asks for mediation. The mafia guarantees each other's credit, and if someone commits a scam, they immediately go and punish him with violence. So both the pork wholesaler and the retailer can smuggle safely and securely. Although he gives a little bribe, he saves a lot more in taxes and reduces business risks, so everyone is satisfied. This dark service of the mafia has become the main reason why the mafia has not been eradicated in Italy.[3] As it appears at the bottom of the LA riot document, in the case of Hong Jeong-bok, who did good deeds for black and Hispanic residents, residents and gang members repaid the favor by taking turns standing guard. Unfortunately, he was murdered by unrelated criminals 7 years later, and although it is bittersweet, it makes us realize that no matter how much we pay for protection, it is not safe unless it is public power.[4] Addio is equivalent to goodbye in English. It was transformed by changing the Italian word ad Deum, meaning 'to God', to a Dio. The French adieu, which has a similar form, also went through a similar process.[5] So, the yakuza members standing guard in red-light districts like Kabukicho and Tobitashinchi do not touch or treat the passers-by or customers in a scary manner at all, as long as they do not do strange things like taking pictures, threatening hostesses, getting drunk and causing a ruckus on the street, or staring at them. Rather, they protect the business owners from such people and furthermore function as vigilantes to manage the security of the entire area. Of course, this is not a normal situation, but since the yakuza do not shoot each other and swing katanas like in the past, and they are somewhat hiding within the legal scope, the police are keeping a close eye on them and are somewhat lenient.
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