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by cma 4193 days ago
Punishing defiance can be an ulterior motive. When the mafia send someone in to break the shopkeepers fingers they often risk their guy getting arrested, etc. losing more than the shopkeeper is worth. They still go through with it because that shop isn't the only thing in the balance, it's about keeping all the other shops scared and maintaining "credibility." You can hear war mongering politicians talk about "credibility" and "credible threat of force" all the time.