Gangs are fascinatingly effective and persistent social structures. I suspect that they and the three/four man squad form the minimum viable products for defens

Gangs are fascinatingly effective and persistent social structures. I suspect that they and the three/four man squad form the minimum viable products for defensive and offensive operations, respectively. The conclusion from that is that it can be rational to want to join a gang when in a situation where larger forms of political or military organization are undesirable or ineffective, and particularly when they're suppressed or are active adversaries.