Survival4Chicks

The year was 1925 and an “agent” of “the organization” sent Mr. Brown, a small business owner, a letter stating that he would be expected to pay a small fee up front and then 25% a month of his small business’ revenue to “the organization” if he would like to do business in town. The money, Mr. Brown was reassured, would go to the “community improvement fund” which would be used to ensure that small businesses like Mr. Brown’s were protected from any sort of economically harmful competitors or other physical or economic harm. Competitors who did not pay the fees and other monthly charges simply would not be allowed to do business thus providing Mr. Brown and others like him with a favorable business environment. The letter also stated that if Mr. Brown refused these terms of doing business then he too would be refused the privilege of doing business in town.

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