More than 60 years have passed since Al Capone’s death, yet the well-known gangster has continued to attract people’s attention all over the world. In fact, he is perhaps more famous than any Italian American in the history (Iorizzo, 2003). There are many controversies regarding Al Capone’s character. Some consider him good for his unusual good deeds while others consider him a ‘bad guy’ owing to his apparent unethical conduct.
He was surely not a common criminal. He was rather different if one considers the literal definition of a criminal. However, his rap sheet consists of ordinary crimes such as violation of traffic at multiple times, antisocial and rebellious conduct, carrying of concealed weapons, and fraud in voting, prohibition violations, etc. He was also arrested for operating and managing the affairs of a prostitution house. On two occasions, he was the suspect for murder. However, the suspicions were never proved (Iorizzo, 2003). Al Capone was also “fined for carrying a concealed weapon in Joliet, Illinois, and, on another occasion, he served time in Pennsylvania on a similar offense” (Iorizzo, 2003). He was also taken in by the Miami police on various instances as well against charges of false swearing, suspicion, and vagrancy. However, those charges were not strong enough to grant him any punishment or fine. He was later convicted for 11 years’ imprisonment for income tax evasion charges (Ruth, 1996).
If Al Capone’s unethical conduct is analyzed closely, it is easy to observe that he did not commit any horrid crimes. His unethical conduct was as normal as the conduct of any other ordinary criminal. The only big crime he committed was the avoidance of tax – a white collar crime. However, the media and the reporters during his time considered him the underworld’s superstar. In fact, he was almost always blamed for whatever bad happened in his days in Chicago. However, it is also true that he was the leader of a crime empire in Chicago during Prohibition era. In fact, he collected millions of dollars on an annual basis through many illegal activities such as prostitution, gambling, and bootlegging. For the given reasons, it is rather difficult to assess whether Al Capone was a good guy or a bad guy. His life is relatively mysterious and opinions about him varied greatly. One can learn a lot of lessons from the life and conduct of Al Capone.
He was liked by many people and hated by many people at the same time. The 1920s Italian immigrants regarded him as their community leader. He used to help people by arranging various programs and incentives. For instance, school children were offered milk portions on a daily basis under a program started by Al Capone. His purpose was to help children fight rickets – a bone-softening disease. A number of soup kitchens were also opened by him during the time of Great Depression wherein homeless and poor could get something to eat. He used to gift groceries, coal, and clothing to the needy (Ruth, 1996). He was also well-liked by poor as he provided liquor through illicit liquor shops. Thus, his unethical conduct was considered generosity by many and he was loved by them as a good outlaw. According to Burns, “His generosity was princely, and his heart warmed and his purse opened, to anyone in distress, white or black, Jew or Gentile” (as qt in Ruth, 1996)..
Still, it is believed that Al Capone was a ruthless murderer who killed many people with his own hands. Nevertheless, he used to deny all the allegations on him constantly. At one occasion, he said: “I have always been opposed to violence, to shootings. I have fought, yes, but fought for peace. And I believe I can take credit for the peace that exists in the racket game in Chicago. I believe that the people can thank me for the fact that gang killings here are probably a thing of the past” (as qt in Capone, 2011). The lack of conscience is also considered unethical. Despite killing and ordering the killing of hundreds of people, Al Capone considered himself a peaceful and nonviolent person. As stated, he wanted others to appreciate his ‘generous’ and ‘peaceful’ acts for the people of Chicago.
The life of Al Capone and his behavior have many lessons. First, it needs to be understood that was born to immigrant parents in America. He saw many ups and downs of life during his childhood and affected by them chose to join a street gang during his adolescent years. His unethical conduct in the later life is the direct result of the company he remained in during his early years of life. When he became a well-known gangster, he used to call his illicit activities to be his business.
I think Al Capone was a proud man with no conscience. He was responsible for the Valentine’s Day Massacre (1929) and killed many people (Ruth, 1996). Still, he labeled his activities as business and a fight for peace.
If his life is analyzed, one can learn a lot of lessons. First, law is above every individual; whether he is poor or rich, weak or powerful. Although Al Capone was a strong criminal of his times, the law enforcement agencies made sure he is punished for his tax evasion crimes. Second lesson is that it is important for every individual to pay the taxes. Also, it is a crystal clear lesson that even if a person is extremely powerful and wealthy, he/she has to face the karma at the end of the day. Al Capone had a whole empire of his own. However, his career ended abruptly. It can be said that Al Capone was a clever individual who influenced the opinion of public to make and maintain his name. He used to play with the innocent minds of ordinary people to win their hearts and favor (Ruth, 1996). He presented himself as a hardworking businessman. In fact, he hid his true personality under a fake image and used his intelligence in doing unethical affairs.
Even though Al Capone was a kind-hearted person, he was a criminal. It is illogical to justify his unethical behavior by any means. Killing one person and helping another seems ridiculous. He was a leader by all means. He ran an empire and several businesses, managed innumerable people and activities. However, he was surely an unethical leader who set many negative examples for his followers. Instead of using his intelligence in useful activities, he chose to involve himself in illegal businesses. It is a clear lesson from his life that one should utilize his/abilities in a positive manner.
References
Capone, D. M. (2011). Uncle Al Capone: The untold story from inside his family. United States: Recap Pub.
Iorizzo, L. J. (2003). Al Capone: A biography. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Ruth, D. E. (1996). Inventing the public enemy: The gangster in American culture, 1918-1934. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
