I was thinking about the “I Am Your Worst Nightmare” post as I worked in my vegetable garden, preparing it for Spring. I wonder how long it would be until the Looters evolved their strategy
to the next levels, as follows:
Looter+1: Don’t kill everyone, leave some alive to loot again later.
Looter+2: Plan to scare, rather than kill, your victims, so that they can continue farming and provide for your needs later. Dead victims can’t work.
Looter+3: Claim a territory and collect “protection” money/goods from the people in your territory. Tell them that in return for only taking one-third of everything they produce, you will protect them from “looters” who will take it all and kill them in the bargain. Punish anyone who holds out.
Looter+4: Call your loot taxes. You are now a government.
Regards, – Bear
JWR Replies: Your observation is astute. In many nations, there is not much difference between “the government” and the bandito “Señor Calvera.” (You may remember the bandit leader in The Magnificent Seven [1]