“In assassinations, there are gradations of respect,” said Gladki. “The lowest is strangling. If you strangle someone, it is a sign of severe disrespect.” Using a pistol, he said, is “50/50” – kind of an OK, but not brilliant way to be killed. “And then there is the Kalashnikov. To be shot by a Kalashnikov assault rifle is the ultimate form of respect. It is a very good death for a Russian.”
From the same FT article, “Who Runs Russia?”, don’t forget this:
Indeed, the basic functions of organised crime – protection rackets, narcotics, extortion and prostitution, have increasingly been assumed by the Russian state.
Strangling is lower than buckwheats?
Well, the stationary bandit is supposed to extract less.
We certainly wouldn’t want to legalize these victimless crimes, it would unravel the moral fiber.
How dare the state intrude upon what should be private enterprise?
The State is doing things The State says people aren’t allowed do. When firms do this…without guns…by just out-competing other firms in providing legal products and services people go apespit.
AQUA´s new song says it all: If The World Didn’t Suck (We Would All Fall Off)
“Indeed, the basic functions of organised crime – protection rackets, narcotics, extortion and prostitution, have increasingly been assumed by the Russian state.”
I would say, just “by state”, it’s not fair to single out russians. I don’t see much fundamental difference between a capo and a sheriff. Obey, and you are fine.
Interesting pendulum swing: During the 1990s, violence was very much the domain of the market economy. Vadim Volkov’s _Violent Entrepreneurs_ details this nicely.
So the quality of death is directly proportional to the cost of the weapon?
No. A good pistol is much more expensive than a Kalashnikov.
agreed. A junky WASR retails for around 350 in the US, nearer to the source i bet it’s closer to 200 or 150.
Darn. Need a new theory. How about:
“Quality of death is inversely proportional to the presentability of the cadaver.”
An AK47 at close range ought to make holes like Swiss cheese?
No, an AK hole tends to over-penetrate and go right though.
I think it may have to do with the seriousness of the weapon and how much of a threat you may be.
If this is true, then a sniper rifle snot or a bombing is a lot more high respect than a klashnikov.
What about when a government agent enters a foreign sovereign and murders you by putting polonium 210 in your tea, causing you to waste away in abject pain and misery? Is that “as good” as being shot with a rifle, or worse?
Painful, yet famous. Yeah, what is the fundamental Y-axis here?
I hate it when that happens!
I would have phrased it a bit differently:
Well, we _want_ the protection racket to be run by the state, don’t we? That’s part of good governance.
” he considered Russia a “mafia state”, where “one cannot differentiate between the activities of the government and OC [organised crime] groups”.”
That is a fairly accurate description of every State, seems to me.
I once was in prison in Iran – http://andreasmoser.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/reports-about-my-trip-to-iran-in-junejuly-2009/ – and I was damn scared of being hanged. (Stoning is mostly reserved for women and moral crimes, which I wasn’t accused of.)
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