Many years
ago, gangsterism in Taiwan was so rife that there appeared to
have a parallel govt run by the gangsters in the island. I am not too sure what
is the situation today but it is quite often to see senior govt officials paying
respect at the funerals of gangster chiefs. In the Chinese vocabulary, the
secret societies are called 黑社会, or Black Society. This has become a friendly joke even here when
wearing black becomes a fashion among the young and they were affectionately
called 黑社会.
The
pervasive presence of the Black Society in all walks of life emboldened them,
particularly in the movie industry that they started to make movies to glorify
their lifestyles, playing up on values like brotherhood, loyalty and honour and
how good they were. I could still remember a movie starring Tony Leung as a
secret society chief. And they were
having their clandestine ‘cabinet’ meeting in the spa pool. Several secret
society chiefs were present.
Tony Leung
proposed that they should go into politics, run for election and hold their
meetings in Parliament in the next round. His idea was shockingly realistic. He
told them that being members of the 黑社会, their main business was related to finance. They controlled the
gambling dens, prostitution, drugs, smuggling people, and yes, money lending
and money laundering in a big way. And there were similar legitimate organizations
in the main stream society, casinos, stock exchange, social escort agencies,
night clubs, pharmaceuticals, employment agencies, banking and finance and
money laundering in a big way by the banks.
If only
they were in Parliament, they could appoint their own finance minister, CEOs of
banks, of casinos, of stock exchange, and all the related money making agencies
legally. In other words, if the黑社会 was the govt in charge, they could take over the whole island. They
could own the island by appointing their own secret society members and clans
men themselves. Oh, the fighters, the hit men, can take over the police and the
army as police commissioners and generals. If I am not mistaken, the黑社会
also has their justice system too.
The secret
society chiefs gave him a standing ovation. They said, let’s do it and the
stupid govt would not have a clue what was happening when they had taken over
everything. And Tony Leung would be the natural President of the island. This
was some thirty years ago. Obviously they did not succeed or the Black Society,
黑社会, would be running the island today.
It was a
great practical thought then and they could succeed if the govt was weak and
careless and did not know what was going on. The 黑社会 was well organized, and could conspire to
achieve what they set out to do. They were not only as well organized as the
political parties, except without legitimacy, they could be very ruthless
working under cloak and dagger to get their ways and put their members in
position of power.
Tsai Ing
Wen or her predecessor Ma Ying Jeou don’t look like gangster chiefs from
whatever angle you view them. Thank God it was only a movie. Can’t imagine what
the island would become if the 黑社会, succeeded. They would be wearing black ties, black shirts and black
suits in Parliament and making themselves very rich, controlling all the
financial institutions and the casinos and the stock exchange in the island.