Originally Posted By: olivant
Vito's world was at peace. Who knew better than he that involving himself in the drug bsiness might alienate his political and legal support? Why take that chance? Why disturb that peace? In the real world, he has been proven correct. Made guys are turning state's witnesses when threatened with long drug-related sentences.

Yes, he suspects that there's more to all this than just the drug proposition. He says as much. That's why he sends Luca to check things out. And he was right. Barzini wants to be No 1.

But Vito was no better than any of the other hoods portrayed in the film. He supported, directly or indirectly, all kinds of illegal, illicit, and immoral activities. He murdered when those activities were threatened.



I agree. That's why I wrote above "While the narcotics business was very profitable, over time it also..(snip)..helped to make omerta something of a joke."

"When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives."
Winter is Coming

Now this is the Law of the Jungle—as old and as true as the sky; And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.
As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk, the Law runneth forward and back; For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.