I watched the Sopranos the other day, and I saw the subplot of one member that wanted out and had to get permission before he could retire.
I think that that kind of stuff is gangland UL, just to make them seem more mysterious/intimidating/tough, etc… I’m sure that IRL there are a trillion wannabes that will be happy to take over a made man’s slot, and the higher ups don’t give a hang as long as a profit is being made.
Is there any reliable info that addresses the issue?
thanks,
hh
IRL there is no such thing as the mafia…
Yeah, right. Next thing you’ll be telling me is that the Sopranos is fiction! 
Being in the mob means that the made guy has many responsibilities to uphold. One of them is to send some money up the chain. (Sometimes called “the vig” in movies. A related use is a bookie’s cut of bets.) A made guy who falls behind on his vig is in deep trouble. If a made guy knows he isn’t going to making his vig for a while, he might try to “retire.” This makes his bosses very unhappy. They want their money. So in order to retire, you have to clearly be retiring for valid reasons.
There may be secondary reasons, e.g., the bosses needs the guy for particular jobs, etc.
While there are a lot of guys who may want in, almost all of them are real losers. (All talk, no action types or really low IQ bozos.) One of the big troubles the mob has had in recent years is finding quality recruits. If you have a guy in your crew that has been doing a good job and providing money for several years, you’d be a fool to just let him walk away.
newcrasher: any relation to J. Edgar Hoover?
I was looking for a similar witticism, but the ol’ brain gave out. :smack:
Thanks for fine answers.
hh
Hmm, I’ve been looking for employment lately. How do I set up an interview?
Have you filled out your application?
Ftg has the answer. The traditional mafia is a feudal system. The low level soldiers have their little schemes, and they pay their boss a cut from their schemes. And the boss pays his captain a cut of his take. And in return for this, the captain doesn’t have his bosses whacked, and the bosses don’t have the soldiers whacked. As Paulie Walnuts explained to Chris when he got made, “Now you don’t got any problems, except one, which is to pay me my weekly cut. And I don’t got any problems, except one, which is to pay Tony his weekly cut.” So if Chris doesn’t come up with his weekly payment, the Paulie won’t be able to make HIS weekly payment. If Chris decides to retire Paulie’s weekly payment isn’t going to be reduced, he’s still going to have to pay Tony the same amount.
So “retiring” from the mafia just means that you aren’t going to be kicking money up the chain any more. And if you’re not kicking money up the chain any more, what good are you? You know too much. So if you want to retire you have to get permission or just disappear. When you’re no longer contributing money to your betters then you’re all liability and no upside.
Is this how they do it in AMWAY too?
“Vig” is interest paid to loansharks. There is another term for the money sent up the chain, but I can’t find it in the Mobspeak glossary. Might be “tribute”, but I can’t confirm that.
Other than that, good post.
Yes, but in the Mafia, you at least have a chance to get out.
hh
Indeed. I’d always heard/used “vig” as interested payed on a loan.
With the rates charged, it should be used on Visa/Mastercard statements.
What about Mafia bosses? Do they ever have any trouble retiring?
There is a way to get out of the Mafia. It is called the Witness Protection Program.
Although, you can generally reason with the mob…
As I noted, it does have several applications. In general it means a cut taken of somebody’s money. The most common use is the “juice” or commision on bets.
Here’s a review of a mafioso’s book that quotes using the term in the context I gave.
From the link:
Not that I’m in tight with any mafioso types, but that’s the first time I’ve read the term used like that. Don’t know if it is a transcriber’s or an editor’s error putting together the book, or if it is an accurate quote. I’m certainly not disputing the use by bookies; there we are in agreement.
The boss is above the captains.
Or you can leave through the small hole they’ll gladly put in the back of your head.