Essay on The Mafia Wealth and Politics in the 1920

The Mafia: Wealth and Politics in the 1920 MAFIA - a secret association having for its object the illicit control of any enterprise, legitimate or illegitimate, which it decides to infiltrate (Allen 6). The decade of the 1920s was full of deception, corruption, and degeneration. The very embodiment of these qualities was the institution of the Italian-American Mafia. The syndicate began in Sicily and spread to encompass United States politics and the national economy. The post war era left the nation in a recession and vulnerable to organized crime. Changes in the countrys attitudes and outlooks on the future paved the way for organized crime on a large scale. People were too preoccupied with bootleg booze,†¦show more content†¦This configuration of government made it possible for men seeking illegal privileges to easily control local politicians and law enforcement officials. Bribery of a citys political or economic leader, in this extremely centralized form of government, assured the cooperation of city policemen, judges, and lower level subordinates. The results of a study conducted on the New York State court system that included over a thousand organized crime c ases showed more than 40% of the indictments were dismissed (Bequai 164). The Mafia infiltrated the government and immersed themselves in local as well as national politics. Judges, politicians, police, and even intelligence agencies have worked hand in hand with the syndicate. The methods were variable, sometimes subtle or sometimes quite overt, but always calculated. The victim would be chosen, checked, then cornered and left whit no retreat. The states wanted control of the police forces but met with opposition from the local politicians. In some states corruption rose as high as the gubernatorial office. Bill Thompson mayor of Chicago, ran for the office of President of the United States in 1927. He had long been a favorite of the underworld, and the Mafia supported his bid for the presidency. Unfortunately, during his campaign the War of the Sicilian Succession broke, and theShow MoreRelatedThe Mafia of the Prohibition Era1896 Words   |  8 PagesAlthough the Mafia i s most associated with the Prohibition era of the 1920’s when it dominated crime in all major US cities, the true beginnings of the most infamous criminal organization started quite earlier. Beginning in the late 1800s, many Italians immigrated to New York City due to continued rumors of success in the area. This trend continued out of the 19th century and into the 20th as over 500,000 Italians immigrated to the United States (Sifakis). As Italian citizens migrated to the citiesRead MoreOrganized Crime During the Roaring Twenties678 Words   |  3 PagesOrganized Crime During the Roaring Twenties The 1920s, or the Roaring Twenties as this epoch is often referred to as, was a major turning point in America history. During this time period many American citizens believed and even acted out of hedonism. This mindset of the general population and along with other dilemmas led to a stunning and rapid increase in the amount of organized crime. The sudden uproar of organized crime during the 1920s was caused mainly by prohibition that gave rise to manyRead MoreWhy was Prohibition such a controversial issue during the 1920’s1369 Words   |  6 Pagesduring the 1920’s? Prohibition was the banning of the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages. The power to ban the production, export, import, transportation or sale of alcoholic beverages was given by the 18th Amendment, 1917. This was gradually adopted by state governments across America and was followed up in 1919 by the Volstead Act that defined intoxicating liquor as a drink containing 0.5% of alcohol and prescribed penalties for breaking the law. By 1920 ProhibitionRead MoreOrganized Crime During the Roaring Twenties1145 Words   |  5 PagesThe 1920s, or the Roaring Twenties as this epoch is often referred to as, was a major turning point in America history. During this time period many American citizens believed and even acted out of hedonism. This mindset of the general population and along with other dilemmas led to a stunning and rapid increase in the amount of organized crime. The sudden uproar of organized crime during the 1920s was caused mainly by prohibition that gave rise to many street gangs, all with one man at its helmRead MoreEssay on Feudalism and Capitalism3836 Words   |  16 Pagescultural processes. And finally, Environmental Processes are processes and transformations of matter into other matter or matter into energy through various activities. From this one can see that the state of the environment is affected by culture, politics, and economics. To reiter ate, we cant talk about economics and the questions that it attempts to resolve, without talking about or at least including these other aspects because they all interact and must be considered as well. There areRead MoreSex Tourism3418 Words   |  14 PagesCoast located along the Indian Ocean caters for about 66% of Kenyan tourism activities. Sex tourism is a major activity in Kenyan Coast (Sindiga 1999, Migot-Adhola et al 1982; Bechmann 1985). The Kenya coast as a tourism destination has existed since 1920 attracting mainly the white settlers and colonial government officials who sought holiday excitements. Major tourist attractions at the Kenyan coast include the wildlife, white sandy beaches, sun, sea, sex, scene features, diverse cultures, hospitableRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 PagesScope 102 Employing a Project Scope Checklist Scenario Planning: A Supplement to Traditional Strategic Planning 30 The Need for an Effective Project Portfolio Management System 32 Problem 1: The Implementation Gap 32 Problem 2: Organization Politics 33 Problem 3: Resource Conflicts and Multitasking Step 2: Establishing Project Priorities 106 Step 3: Creating the Work Breakdown Structure 108 Major Groupings Found in a WBS 108 How WBS Helps the Project Manager 109 WBS Development 109 34