The Benefits of Organized Crime

As I discussed in a previous post, criminality is difficult to define on Tamriel, because of the diversity of the population and the lack of a strong unified central government after the fall of the Septims.

If anything, crime, in particular organised crime, seems to actually help fill in the gaps in law and order that we would traditionally see from a government.

They are imperfect stop-gaps, but they do provide a measure of security where the syndicates hold sway. They can impose strict discipline on their members, who would usually not be prone to respecting the laws of the land, which can keep the most undesirable members of society in check.

The Thieves’ Guild in particular is a good example of governance through criminality. Through the use of Shadowmarks and an enforced code of conduct, thieves have limits and checks on their activities in the various cities around the continent. They are prohibited from murder, and are expected to go to great lengths to prevent bodily harm to their marks.

The Guild creates a powerful sense of solidarity and identity with its members. It also provides them with the means to achieve their goals, reducing anomie and deviance overall, even though their means is, by definition, deviant.

This is a benefit that cannot always be provided reliably by government, particularly after the fall of the Septims. The Guild also discriminates less against members of races such as the Khajiit or the Dunmer, who are often subject of discrimination by “law-abiding” citizens.

Keeping potential social outcasts busy and providing them with a sense of belonging and purpose can only keep them out of trouble, or at least the kind of trouble that can result in bodily harm for civilians.

Another, less clear-cut example is the Dark Brotherhood. Personally I am not a huge fan of murder or assassination at all, but if it is going to happen, it should have a regulatory body that ensure that it’s members are not just killing for the sake of killing. While an organisation that kills for money is very dangerous, so is anyone who would kill or assassinate for another more “honourable” principle.

At least this way, there are checks and balances on the discretion of the killers, imperfect or biased they may be.

Individuals that would naturally gravitate towards the Thieves’ Guild or the Dark Brotherhood may not be inclined towards lawfulness under the most ideal of circumstances; and circumstances on Tamriel are never really close to ideal, when it comes to law and order. Which is to say, there are elements of society that will never easily fit under a codified law, but they may fit comfortably within a Guild code of conduct.

Furthermore, regimes benefit directly from the services of organised crime syndicates, either to advance their interests, or to remove potential rivals. The use of professionals to sabotage or reinforce political and economic machinations reduces the risk of discontent and the need for outright violence. This again adds to the security of society.

Also since true accountability in autocracies/oligarchies is a rare thing, high-ranking crime organisations can offer something that political parties and noble houses cannot: a voice for the common folk. Many members of crime syndicates are from humble beginnings, and the common people are often under the protection of the criminals. However, due to the discreet nature of their business, they often are the guardians of the secrets of the rich and powerful.

Criminals can be powerful advocates for the plight of the people, and can enact change in a corrupt system that could not otherwise be obtained except through outright revolution.

Indeed with the inherently dangerous nature of their jobs, trustworthiness is one of the most important qualities in a member of a criminal gang, and one cannot become a leader without the approval of most other members, making crime one of the true bastions of democracy on Tamriel. The same cannot be said of the “legitimate” governments.

Crime indeed is a very complicated creature in the Elder Scrolls. It is a relative term applied only in terms set by the whims of the current and local government. By this definition, acts of kindness, love, compassion or honour can be considered seditious to authorities.

Organised crime places rules, boundaries and limitations on elements of society that already operate outside “legitimate” authority. It provides safe haven for the maginalized people, keeps them under some kind of control and discipline, and at times can be advocates for the common folk in a world where only the exceptional can thrive.