What you think, who is more successful - the old school gangsters, or the new age wiseguys? Why the rules and the honor are now lost, and there are only a bunch of stupid kids, who are now the new face of the organized crime? Where are the old timers, who were ruthless but paid rents, took care of their people, and family, why such a code doesen't exist no more?

Like I have said before in other topics created. Why must people always go to the extremes when talking about the Mafia, it's power and the men who make it up. People either seem to think the Mafia has to be mighty powerful, like it's and all knowing phenomenon. Either that, or it just doesn't exist any more and it's as about as powerful as a street gang. Can't people just accept, the truth lies In between!

Sure, some of the new modern age gangsters don't compare to the more old school disciplined one's. That doesn't mean however guys with an old school approach don't exist any more, it doesn't mean that the Mafia is made up of violent, degenerate kids either. The truth is, The Mafia isn't all powerful anymore, but it isn't dead, it's about as powerful as any other criminal organization in the US today,some say it's still at the top, however that doesn't mean it's as powerful as it once was. which still means a big something.

It's the same with the guys who make it up, some are old school, they care more about the values, some guys just care about money and don't care who they betray. And that applies to pretty much anyone in the modern world today whether they be criminals or legitimate businessmen.

Personally, to answer your question, I think the old school guys are the best type. Sure, money is the most important thing but at least they have some sort of "Honor" (and in the way they mean it) to not rat on their friends have some sort of moral code. That's just me though, I like to think you can trust on your friends and associates and everyone else in the world can fuck off because lets be honest, you don't give a shit about them, and they probably don't give two shits about you...

I remember a debate happened a long time ago on a blog now gone about Vic Amuso being "old school" and Casso being a violent psychopatic rat. I agree about Casso (even though I don't see why would him being a rat be worse than the fact he was a multiple murderer), but why Amuso is considered old school I have no idea. One of the people in question claimed to have known him personally. Even so, considering the fact he had such an individual as Casso for underboss, that must mean he didn't really mind his paranoid and extremely violent methods.

Go back and read how violent the Mafia was back in the 1800s and you'll realize the only differences are the externals, such as societal and technological changes. Some bosses were less violent than others, but they have always used violence.

It's funny that what qualifies Amuso as being old school is that he was less violent than Casso. If you read some of the old FBI reports and memos at Maryferrell.org you'll see that the younger mobsters at that time didn't always care for the so-called old school "Mustache Petes" because those old school mobsters were prone to kill someone for any perceived disrespect.

I agree. Angelo Bruno was called "the gentle don" for ordering "only" about 10 murders.
I also read Vito Cascio Ferro claimed he only killed Giuseppe Petrosino and nobody else in his life, I wonder how true is that.

But WAS he indeed less violent than Casso or is it just fanboy nonsense? Did Casso usually ask for Amuso's sanction for the murders or was it like with Merlino and Natale when Merlino often didn't bother to ask?

the mob will never regain its former glory in my opinion for one main reason.

The main reason is they can not kill people and get away with it . "the old school guys" were not any smarter then the criminals today. Once the government started to let murderers become informants the underworld lost its ability to make sure a guy could never rat.

While I think the old timers were more loyal and disciplined than the later counterparts, considering the advantages the old timers had compared to the disadvantages the newer guys have, I don't think the gulf is as wide as many believe.