Wellstone City Update – Economics of Crime

Wellstone City needs crime to function. It needs corruption in order to work on the governmental level and it needs street-level violence in order to maintain itself on the lower levels. The city needs it on an economic level, on a social level, and even on a tourism level.

The simple fact is the crime means business for the city. It means that the police and fire departments are able to justify their existence and perform much needed services for the city on a consistent and regular basis. It means justified bonds, sales tax, fund raisers, and so on that generate more money specifically for peacekeeping than those efforts require. Not only that but the number of licensed Freelancers in the city pump revenue into the city’s coiffeurs every time a license is renewed or a gun permit is bought. It means more money every time a background check is run.

On a social level, it keeps the system stratified. That stratification allows for almost a caste system to be put into place where it can be very difficult to jump up from one level to a higher level, but easy to slide down. That means that precious law enforcement resources can be targeted to where they’re needed most. Also, it helps keep tax dollars flowing and city income coming in on a regular basis because commerce and normal activities are not interrupted.

On a tourism level, people understand that certain areas of the city are supposed to be safe and free of violence. Not only that, but realizing that there is money to be made in marketing, there is an avid merchandising campaign with branded clothing, hats, and other organized crime related items. These items raise even more money for the city via taxes.

As much as the city hates to admit it, Wellstone City needs organized crime to function. It keeps the petty crime internally policed, it keeps money flowing to the city via taxes, and it gives justification for fundraisers. To take the crime out of Wellstone City would be detrimental, no matter how much collateral damage is caused.