The Mob and the American Dream

[dragon wench]

I am presently reading a collection of essays ( Uncommon People: Resistance, Rebellion and Jazz) by, historian, Eric Hobsbawn. Some of the chapters are succinct, interesting, informative and well-argued. Others reflect a typically overbearing, academic pomposity and arrogence, and are quite offensive.....

Anyway... I came across the following and I am curious at people's opinions upon Hobsbawn's assertions.

I quote:

The mafia, so far from challenging the values of "Americanism,' embodied them. What, after all, could be more American than the success stories of penniless immigrant boys clawing their way to wealth and respectability by private enterprise? what legitimate American business tycoon ever objected to being called 'ruthless,' to being credited with the 'killer instinct,' or to the principle that 'nice guys finish last'? Mafiosi were as close-mouther as Calvin Coolidge. They were -- another trait that facilitated empathy-- by no means intellectually inclined. Their substitution of private violence for state authority was as American as apple pie.

I would normally dismiss the above as the rantings of an exceedingly crochety and ego-driven old man but I have also read a great deal about the enormous popularity of the TV series The Sopranos (see: http://www.the-sopranos.com/). During a trip to Portland this past summer I even saw a book written on the psychology of the series and the ways in which the American public identified with and responded to the programme. Unfortunately, I was unable to buy the book ( I think I had already exceeded my book- buying budget by a considerable amount ) so I am unsure of its actual thesis.

But... thoughts?

[Scayde]

There are quite a few similarities between the early business tycoons and the early mafia.

I will give the business tycoon the benifit of the doubt regarding the question of rather or not he always opperated inside the boundaries of the law. I also feel it is safe to assume that the mafia was a little more flexible in these regards. The greatest similarities, I think show up in the monopolies adn trusts that were the halmark of the industrial age. There were many examples of shrewd manuvers to block out the competition, securing a given market for any given respective tycoon. It is not so dissimilar from the "protection" and racketeering of the mafia. The great irony is that today, most of the old crime families are largly legitimized, where as the old monopolies adn trusts have been busted up, and sold for scrap

[Chanak]

It's worth noting that over time, the Mafia legitimized. That is to say, they launched legitimate businesses that conduct their affairs within the scope of the law...

I think the gangster figure connects to a decidedly anti-intellectual undercurrent which pervades much of the lower middle class in America...i.e., there's nothing like the guy that made it big without a college degree, pedigree, or high-level connections. In this regard, I think, the personae appeals to many who feel they have received the short end of the stick. I think the gangster is romanticized in order to fufill that dream which says, "anyone can make it, you just have to have guts."

[Maharlika]

...is quite interesting considering the various issues involved on how one strives to get that "american dream". America - the land of milk and honey.

Education plays an important role in just how far you could possibly go --- unfortunately for most immigrants and minorities then (and perhaps even now as well) don't have access to the real good schools.

As I see it, this is all about making it big through business since back then you don't need to be "educated" in order to make it big in the business.

Streetsmarts, loyalty (bought, earned, forced, etc) and networking are essential during that time. I guess these people just needed to survive in a new place away from what they used to call home. They got no other people to rely on and trust but those whom they considered "their own."

Anyway, here is something to think about as I figured it's somehow related to DW's thread.
How affirmative action helped George W.

[Sojourner]

Originally posted by Chanak
It's worth noting that over time, the Mafia legitimized. That is to say, they launched legitimate businesses that conduct their affairs within the scope of the law...

I think the gangster figure connects to a decidedly anti-intellectual undercurrent which pervades much of the lower middle class in America...i.e., there's nothing like the guy that made it big without a college degree, pedigree, or high-level connections. In this regard, I think, the personae appeals to many who feel they have received the short end of the stick. I think the gangster is romanticized in order to fufill that dream which says, "anyone can make it, you just have to have guts."

I think this is going to be increasingly true over time as the lay-offs continue and decent-paying jobs continue to be hard to come by.