Russian Organized Crime
John Budde
AP English
10-29-12
Russian Organized Crime
On October 31, 2007, In the Russian province of Togliatti, a bus carrying several passengers including women and children exploded, killing eight people and leaving approximately horribly wounded. Local authorities attributed the bombing as an act of terrorism perpetrated by Russian organized crime. Unfortunately, these horrific acts of violence have become commonplace in Russia and a regular part of daily life. Not only does the mob hold a tight grip on their homeland, but they also maintain a significant influence on worldwide criminal activity. Despite this, much about the Russian Mafia remains unknown, with little understanding of its history, organization, extent of criminal activity and its global presence.
The history of Russian organized crime dates back to the early 1700s, in the time of the Russian Imperial era. Criminal activity was rooted among loose gangs of thieves formed from the common people. These rebellious bands would come to be known as the “Vory”, who upheld a specific code of honor and believed in an anti-government philosophy. In order to join the Vory, a prospect had to be a professional thief and voted in by the other members. Numbering in the millions, the Vory began entrenching themselves in Russian society, fueled by resentment of the government and class divisions of the time. At the start of the twentieth century, Russia was changing, and so was organized crime.
In 1917, Russia exploded with the advent of Communism. The Bolshevik revolution ushered in a new era of organized crime. With the Vory in support of the new regime, an uneasy alliance was formed between the criminal organizations and the fledgling government. Through bribery, blackmail, and extortion, the corruption of government officials provided organized crime with protection and immunity from prosecution, forming mutually beneficial relationships that have existed to this day. Some scholars believe
AP English
10-29-12
Russian Organized Crime
On October 31, 2007, In the Russian province of Togliatti, a bus carrying several passengers including women and children exploded, killing eight people and leaving approximately horribly wounded. Local authorities attributed the bombing as an act of terrorism perpetrated by Russian organized crime. Unfortunately, these horrific acts of violence have become commonplace in Russia and a regular part of daily life. Not only does the mob hold a tight grip on their homeland, but they also maintain a significant influence on worldwide criminal activity. Despite this, much about the Russian Mafia remains unknown, with little understanding of its history, organization, extent of criminal activity and its global presence.
The history of Russian organized crime dates back to the early 1700s, in the time of the Russian Imperial era. Criminal activity was rooted among loose gangs of thieves formed from the common people. These rebellious bands would come to be known as the “Vory”, who upheld a specific code of honor and believed in an anti-government philosophy. In order to join the Vory, a prospect had to be a professional thief and voted in by the other members. Numbering in the millions, the Vory began entrenching themselves in Russian society, fueled by resentment of the government and class divisions of the time. At the start of the twentieth century, Russia was changing, and so was organized crime.
In 1917, Russia exploded with the advent of Communism. The Bolshevik revolution ushered in a new era of organized crime. With the Vory in support of the new regime, an uneasy alliance was formed between the criminal organizations and the fledgling government. Through bribery, blackmail, and extortion, the corruption of government officials provided organized crime with protection and immunity from prosecution, forming mutually beneficial relationships that have existed to this day. Some scholars believe
Cited: Anderson, Annelise. "The Red Mafia: A Legacy Of Communism." Stanford.edu. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://andrsn.stanford.edu/Other/redmaf.html>. Barrett, Devlin, and Sean Gardiner. "Structure Keeps Mafia Atop Crime Heap." The Wall Street Journal, 22 Jan. 2011. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704115404576096392318489246.html>. Grigg, William Norman. "Dirty Cops in the Former Soviet Union Run Both Sides of the Law." Tripod. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://orgcrime.tripod.com/ruscartel.htm>. Lanka, Barry. "The Russian Mafia." www.unomaha.edu, 11 Apr. 1999. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. <http://maps.unomaha.edu/peterson/funda/Sidebar/RussianMafia.html>. Pike, John. "Russian Organized Crime (ROC)." Federation of Associated Scientists. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/roc.htm>. "Russian Organized Crime." Center for Strategic and International Studies. Web. 27 Oct. 2012. <http://csis.org/programs/transnational-threats-project/past-task-forces/russian-organized-crime>. "So Who Are the Russian Mafia?" BBC News. BBC, 04 Jan. 1998. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1998/03/98/russian_mafia/70485.stm