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Worldbuilding

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    $\begingroup$ I like your points, but would just like to note that a totalitarian state seems to usually stamp out small scale gangsters quite effectively. The population usually has only one thing to fear - the government. Any competition for violence would be shot in the head and still owe the State 2 centrs for the bullet. $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 21, 2018 at 6:48
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    $\begingroup$ @Gnudiff - 'stamp out small scale gangsters' might be semantics - totalitarian regimes tend to bring those individuals into the fold while institutionalizing the crime... $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 13:44
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    $\begingroup$ @bukwyrm it depends probably. While it was frequent for early Soviet Union to allow criminals into the ranks of its security forces and army, many of them were cleaned during the early purges, and while the state itself was perpetrating crimes, it was definitely not disposed to accept criminals into its forces after it had established itself. $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 22, 2018 at 14:49
  • $\begingroup$ @Gnudiff - Nazi Germany did the same thing. My point is that after the system is established, 'small crime' becomes institutionalized. The system is criminal, so the criminals may be law-abiding. I fully endorse your first comment, just wanted to nitpick on your formulation. $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 23, 2018 at 7:16