Yes, there were plenty of things to steal, even in poor countries. Everything is relative, you don't have to have a plasma screen, or high-end stuff to be worth stealing something.
Clear example, we had a troubled guy in our neighborhood (alcoholic father, poor and all). In my old house, we had three chikens (it was in the suburb). He stole one of them, from our house and cooked it with his friends, and ate it. Eventually his friends ratted him out, so the local cops, came with a van, and gave him a beating and made him buy my us a replacement one.
He asked for forgiveness, and never came close to our house. So, there you go, police justice in action.
Eventually this guy did more things in other places, and ended up in jail. Meanwhile, the neighboorhood was really calm, and basically nothing happens.
Democracy came, the police had much less controll on what was going, judges and prosecuters could get corrupted, etc.
This guy graduated in a super-criminal, and was unstopable. He could bribe his way out charges, initmidate witnesses, etc. Eventually he steped on the wrong feet, and got assasinated, (middle of the day, by a sniper).
So, there you go. Police actioning actually works and makes things a lot safer. But you have to give a lot of freedoms to reach that point.
Is the extra safety really worth it when you can't voice your opinion without being afraid being roughed up by this super cops?
Clear example, we had a troubled guy in our neighborhood (alcoholic father, poor and all). In my old house, we had three chikens (it was in the suburb). He stole one of them, from our house and cooked it with his friends, and ate it. Eventually his friends ratted him out, so the local cops, came with a van, and gave him a beating and made him buy my us a replacement one.
He asked for forgiveness, and never came close to our house. So, there you go, police justice in action.
Eventually this guy did more things in other places, and ended up in jail. Meanwhile, the neighboorhood was really calm, and basically nothing happens.
Democracy came, the police had much less controll on what was going, judges and prosecuters could get corrupted, etc.
This guy graduated in a super-criminal, and was unstopable. He could bribe his way out charges, initmidate witnesses, etc. Eventually he steped on the wrong feet, and got assasinated, (middle of the day, by a sniper).
So, there you go. Police actioning actually works and makes things a lot safer. But you have to give a lot of freedoms to reach that point. Is the extra safety really worth it when you can't voice your opinion without being afraid being roughed up by this super cops?