2007-10-08 07:15:31 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Europe (Continental) ➔ Russia
Yes, only it was very different. The "new" Russian mafia lives by extorting money from private businesses. The "old" Russian mafia lived by collecting "taxes" from criminals of lower stature, including burglars, robbers, pickpockets, fraudsters, cheating gamblers, and private businessmen operating underground (in the USSR, private enterprise was a crime punishable by up to five years in prison).
When private enterprise became a mainstream activity, common citizens trying their hand at it faced organized crime for the first time... The face-off was unpleasant, but for many proved necessary, as the extortion by organized crime turned out to be easier to deal with than extortion by government employees.
To Jon R: if you think that "crime in Soviet Russia was next to non-existent" and "the Russian Mafia is Yelstin's legacy", please explain who "thieves in law" (Russian: "vory v zakone") were and what "the common fund" (Russian: "obschak") they administered was...
2007-10-08 08:28:25 · answer #1 · answered by NC 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
When Russia was communist Russian Mafia was known as KPSS & KGB...
2007-10-09 22:03:17 · answer #2 · answered by Cossak 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, crime in Soviet Russia was next to non-existent. The Russian Mafia is Yelstin's legacy.
2007-10-08 08:16:49 · answer #3 · answered by Jon R 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
doing research when the republics formed many people became unemployed and many kgb and military officials began working the black market and moved as well to "little odessa" brighton beach - NYC- in a few cases. soo now it is called "russian mafia" ruthless and good at all trades they progress and the members are fiercely loyal to their comrads and or brothers.
2007-10-10 17:31:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes, of course. there were lots of mafias after the perestroika near the last ten years of the ussr, when the common people were really poor.
2007-10-08 14:31:49 · answer #5 · answered by Карина 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
RUSSIA IS STIILL COMMUNIST
2007-10-08 15:31:57 · answer #6 · answered by mynameiseric 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
they have always been there.
2007-10-11 01:47:40 · answer #7 · answered by kimmy_in_da_house 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋