Sociology 3366F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Meyer Lansky, Political Machine, Political Boss
Document Summary
With urbanization - expansion of goods and services - services being offered in the underworld. Racketeering: person who engages in dishonest and fraudulent dealings (obtaining money through illegal enterprise: irish, jewish, german. No evidence of large conspiracies: international organized crime groups conspiring together to fulfill objectives. No need for graft; policing just getting started: wasn"t a lot of problems associated with enforcement, no need for political corruption - lack of it because policing was just getting started. Often owned or financed by "solid" citizens. Shows the relationship between citizens and the underworld. Product of evolutionary process extending more than a century. Paved the groundwork for organized forms of crime. Roots can be found in urban america before prohibition "in the exemplary patron-client network known as the political machine" Backing from tammany hall could make or break political career. Use of the political machine was to generate and keep power.