29 August 2013

Researching For Romance: Russian Organized Crime

Good Morning All!

Welcome to Researching For Romance Writing, a weekly meme where I feature my latest finds.  Please feel free to share any links or tips you think will add to the discussion.  Happy Researching!

Russian Organized Crime

The volume of material I've perused on this topic is astounding, and at times, contradictory.  Origins of organized crime in Russia are explored vaguely.  It is not until the 1800's that a discernible/researched system of order is reported.  Until the mid 1800's, the collective groups of *organized* criminals were often viewed by the peasants (who comprised the largest segment of the population) as Robin-Hood type saviors.  Their opposition of wealthy landowners and government bolstered their popularity with the poorest of Russian society.  Also interesting in my reading, Russian criminal groups were not founded primarily on ethnicity.  I found this rather intriguing since such wide variance of ethnic groups comprised the large country.  

Rank, nobility (I use this term lightly when discussing Russian history, as their definition and acknowledgement of the term was quite different than what was accepted in England), and lineage did not recommend, nor preclude, membership within organized crime.  In fact, the Russian *nobility* was so confusing by the mid 1800's that a prince could be penniless and rather unimportant while a wealthy colonel could hold a position of great influence. We see this oddity within the pages of Tolstoy's War And Peace

It is after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 that organized crime in Russia solidifies into what we understand today.  Again, there are contradictory reports.  One view is that organized crime elements supported the Bolsheviks against the government and worked in tandem with the new government - at least the corrupt limbs.  This would be plausible as crime needs the government to *look the other way* in certain instances!  But other articles claim organized crime opposed any and all government.  I read one account that Lenin himself was robbed by highwaymen, and swore to wipe them from existence.  Obviously, he failed in that endeavor.  Life after the Bolshevik Revolution remained horrible for the poorest Russian people, and actually became worse with food requisitioning.  Organized crime flourished.  

The period I write about in my latest novel is well before the Bolshevik Revolution.  This allows me wide freedom to craft my back story for Mikhail, his introduction to the criminal underworld, and his position in society.  All in all, this was a fascinating topic of research.  Please feel free to comment or note an interesting article you found on the subject - and thanks for stopping by.  

 ~ Nadja
   

  

1 comment:

  1. Lemme help you with astronomical epiphanies...

    If I'm the sower, we plant the Seed; if I'm an artist, we RITE the symphonies heard Upstairs ☆IF☆ you accept His lead withe orchestra...

    Wanna find-out the fax, Jak, in a wurld fulla the 'power of cowards'? Wanna wiseabove to help a 'Plethora Of Wurdz' [POW!] which are look'n for a new home in thy novelty??

    Q: But [gulp] can anyone tell me the difference between K2 plus IQ? A: Nthn. In Heaven, we gitt'm both for eternity HeeHee Need a few more thots, ideers, wild wurdz (whoa, Nelly! easy, girl) or ironclad iconoclasms?

    VERBUM SAT SAPIENTI: As an ex-writer of the sassy, savvy, schizophenia we all go thro in this lifelong demise, I wanna help U.S. git past the ping-pong-politics, the whorizontal more!ass! we're in (Latin: words to wise).

    "This finite existence is only a test, son," God Almighty told me in my coma. "Far beyond thy earthly tempest is where you'll find tangible, corpulent eloquence". Lemme tella youse without d'New Joisey accent...

    I actually saw Seventh-Heaven when we died: you couldn't GET! any moe curly, party-hardy-endorphins, extravagantly-surplus-lush Upstairs (in [the] end without end -Saint Augustine) when my o-so-beautifull, brilliant, bombastic girly passed-away due to those wry, sardonic satires.

    "Those who are wise will shine as brightly as the expanse of the Heavens, and those who have instructed many in uprightousness as bright as stars for all eternity" -Daniel 12:3, NJB

    Here's also what the prolific, exquisite GODy sed: 'the more you shall honor Me, the more I shall bless you' -the Infant Jesus of Prague.

    Go gitt'm, girl. You're incredible. See you Upstairs. I won't be joining'm in the nasty Abyss where Isis prowls
    thesuperseedoftime.blogspot.com
    infowars.com
    -YOUTHwitheTRUTH
    -------------------------------
    PS Need summore unique, uncivilized, useless names? Lemme gonna gitcha started, brudda:

    Oak Woods, Franky Sparks, Athena Noble, Autumn Rose, Faith Bishop, Dolly Martin, Willow Rhodes, Cocoa Major, Roman Stone, Bullwark Burnhart, Magnus Wilde, Kardiak Arrest, Will Wright, Goldy Silvers, Penelope Summers, Sophie Sharp, Violet Snow, Lizzy Roach, BoxxaRoxx, Aunty Dotey, Romero Stark, Zacharia Neptoo, Mercurio Morrissey, Fritz & Felix Franz, Victor Payne, Isabella Silverstein, Mercedes Kennedy, Redding Rust, Phoenix Martini, Ivy Squire, Sauer Wolfe, Yankee Cooky, -blessed b9...

    God blessa youse
    (trust-N-Jesus)
    -Fr. Sarducci, ol SNL

    ReplyDelete