Mobsters, Unions, And Feds

Professor Jacobs talked about his book Mobsters, Unions, and Feds: The Mafia and the American Labor Movement, published by New York University Press. He described the history of the infiltration of unions by the mob and the power this gives organized crime in large cities around the United States. Professor Jacobs argued that while the power of organized crime is a well-known open secret, it is treated as if it doesn’t exist by scholars who write about government and power such as Robert Dahl and Robert Caro. He also talked about the rare efforts by the federal government to crack down on the mob and the complacency that most people (including politicians) seem to have when it comes to the existence of organized crime. After his presentation he answered audience members' questions. close