I think that was the main factor in all of it starting. Back in those days it was much harder to "get ahead" in life than it is now. Everybody was poor back then and to get ahead meant really living. I don't agree with what they done, but you have to admire how they decided their family would no longer struggle in life and they went out and took it.

Kind of like one of the opening lines in The Departed:

I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me. Years ago we had the church. That was only a way of saying - we had each other. The Knights of Columbus were real head-breakers; true guineas. They took over their piece of the city. Twenty years after an Irishman couldn't get a fucking job, we had the presidency. May he rest in peace. That's what the ni**ers don't realize. If I got one thing against the black chappies, it's this - no one gives it to you. You have to take it.

I only added it all above to get it all, none of the above is of my own words. Just talking about the mentality of gangsters.