The whole point of the rule of law is to extend power as far as practicable, and one key way of doing this is removing the temptation for extortion. The "power

The whole point of the rule of law is to extend power as far as practicable, and one key way of doing this is removing the temptation for extortion. The "power to have someone killed" is inherently incompatible with the "power not to end up being killed". Generally, we care a whole lot more about the latter than the former! Even gangsters only exert that kind of power because they are operating in a venue without a stable rule of law, where gangs flourish, and this is a rational way to protect themselves.