What makes the Mafia and the Government so different. I mean both use power to control what they want. Yes, the Mafia does involve illegal things, but aleast we can say the Mafia does things in a way that even the government is involved. SO you can't say the government is right in everthing they do. What makes the Mafia power different from Government power? Even sometimes many politicians find that their caught up in the Mafia's power. What makes it different? I find it simliar in so many ways. The use of control comes with power and with power you gotta have connections with people that give you power that makes you control the way you handle your business! So which is better in handling business the Mafia or the Gov't.

All governments seem to be pathetic and full of scandals. No one is ever going to be truly happy with the government they are given. But imagine if the mafia ruled the government like earlier this decade the mafia had a huge control over Sicily. The people hated it, so don't ever suggest the mafia ruling your country.

The people we're poor and the mafia we're very rich, the people had to pay money to the mafia for protection a bit like a tax but if they didnt pay it they we're likely to be hurt/robbed/kidnapped/killed etc. But the money recieved was never used to help the people, quite like todays governments actually. Ok joking but come on I've made a point. Just look into Sicilia's past.

Lemme know what you think. Don't go ape at me

I'm no ape and first of all I didn't say if the Mafia was ruling the government I said which has greater power the Mafia or the Government and I also said that there mostly alike. I suggest you take your own advice and don't go ape and read the whole post! :p

Look i meant no offense, the whole point of this board is to compare opinions, and never once did i call you an ape, over here in England its an expression for someone getting angry ('to go ape shit')

I asked nicely to know what you think and I thought you might respond badly so thats why I said dont go ape at me. Maybe its because im English, dont hold that against me.

The only reason I added the



was because I thought that would be your next point. Never mind, maybe I jumped the gun.

I'm probably going to regret my next point but I think your quite young and quite naive, please don't take this the wrong way, every government is wrong and once you have taken this into account you can realise that the mafia has been just as worse, if not even worse.

I'm sorry again, just be fair with your response please.

Jesus, you guys are having a war in here.

Well, Although I would prefer the Mafia to the government, I have to admit that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Unless the Mafia is competing against a government, then the mafia doesn't exist now does it?

Yes, "...your enemies go strong on what you leave behing.." (Don Tommassino). For the Mafia to get stronger, it has to finance itself with what the so-called "legal government" deems illegal practices.

Thus, there is no possibility that the Mafia rules a society (another band will pop-up and a new Mafia will be formed).

However, coming to your earlier point (Turi) about the Mafia ruling Sicily earlier this "decade" (I think you meant "century"], I have my reservations. The people may have hated the Mafia then (which is quite debatable) but why?

What did they expect the Mafia to do? The whole purpose of the Mafia is to protect the poor and the rich alike from the injustices imposed upon them by the authorities..right? ["...RIGHT?? (Vincent screaming at Zasa...just joking mate.."]

The Mafia's duties didn't include rescuing those people from poverty. They're not the communist government. All the Maia is supposed to do (even in the old days) was provide security for the people of sicily. If someone had items stolen, the Mafia would have them returned for x% (I read somewhere it ranges between 20-25%).

The Mafia had to finance itself (even in the old days) and the most widely used form is protection fees. Now if X crossed the line against someone who is paying his protection fees, X is no longer safe for the rest of his life. That is protection. Now you expect such payments to be collected periodically; after all, the Mafia has to finance itself to provide for the means of protecting the injured. Of course one cannot tell when an injury is going to happen. Thus, you cannot expect the Mafia to stop collecting just because no such injustice has happend over the past x months. The Mafia is expected to be ready at all times. Thus, it should collect at all times.

I'm not saying that I'd prefer the Mafia to rule a society; this cannot happen unless the Mafia becomes the Government of that society (Thus another government). This government, as you've pointed out, will have its opponents and they may come together and form some sort of an armed resistence [which is just another Mafia that will get stronger on what the current government (former Mafia) deems illegal.]

I'm just saying that I do admire the Mafia's way of operation and I don't really consider them immoral as they don't deceive anyone. The governments, however, use deception more than open force.

Yeah you make a good point Sonny and im sorry I did mean century not decade. How stupid can I be?

But the mafia isnt like the old days now. They dont feel the need to protect the people anymore. Unless they get the respect they feel they deserve.

The mafia today operate on a whole different level, there business men now, ok they always have been but its mroe business than ever now.

One more thing i apolagise to Sonnys girl, it got out of hand for a bit. Fuggetabowt it.

Ok I maybe young but doesn't mean you have to say that I'm naive. My opinion is my opinion you either take it or not. Now let's settle this and next time brush up on your english! And I will remember to be fair with my comments and it's not like I was mad or anything but the whole ape thing I didn't get at all. But that's over now right? Ok I forgive you Thanx for the Sonny quote!

I know we should leave it at that and we've made peace now Sonny's girl. Thats cool.

But I still stand by the saying 'to go ape'. We use it all the time over here, its quite standard. Nothing wrong with my English.

This is going to go on forever isnt it?
I think we're both quite stubbern and want the last word, but whatever you reply to this i'll leave it. I've got nothing against you at all, your quite cool.

Your so right we both must have the last word! And yes I can be stubborn just like you but I guess you can say we have that in common besides loving the movie and the book the godfather. I'm ready for another one of your issues so go and post em!

Pretty simple. Mafia - Makes its bones out of screwing honest, hard working people out of money. Government - Screws the Mafia.

Very funny, but I disagree. The government collects taxes...To have a better idea, check with anyone in the UK.

UK here........Fucking taxes take the piss out of us here. Joey said he used to live here for a while, i'm sure he already has a pretty good idea about our taxes.

It's not often I swear when I don't have to but for fucks sake...I can't wait till I get out of the UK.

I lived there for 5 years, just an hour from bristol. I agree, the taxes were pretty ridiculous but the quality of life was pretty decent. I miss it very much