I think you’re on to something.
In the absence of a functioning legal system, an organized crime unit will fill the gap and dole out some form of justice.
As a 10th grader, my son wrote an effective essay detailing how the vigilante aspect of Batman was justified as the system put in place to protect the public was corrupt and ineffective. The God-given right to individual self defense as detailed by philosophy can be loaned out to police in an operational society, but if the government fails, the rights revert to the individual. At that point, “vigilantism” is actually the expression of the Original Right.
I’m still proud of him.
Is there really a difference between government and mafia?
Organized crime will certainly make a come back at some level. They might even play both sides; create a problem (robbery) then offer a solution (protection) to the local public.
Politicians and (perhaps) some police officers will be shocked the first time private justice happens and during the questioning of witnesses they discover nobody saw anything.
I’m sure there will be some huffing and puffing, media stories and political leaders condemning it... but by then it will be too late. The first domino will have fallen as people start to see imperfect justice as better than chaos.