Al Capone, born in Brooklyn, New York in 1899, was one of the most famous American gangsters of the 1920s and 1930s. Although he was known for his violent and criminal ways, he was also notable for his captivating quotes which often offer a grim perspective on life, success, and his criminal activities. These quotes give us an insight into the mind of one of history’s most infamous figures.
Here are some of the most popular Al Capone quotes:
- “You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.”
- “I am just a businessman, giving the people what they want.”
- “All I ever did was sell beer and whiskey to our best people. All I ever did was supply a demand that was pretty popular.”
- “Vote early and vote often.”
- “I don’t even know what street Canada is on.”
- “Capitalism is the legitimate racket of the ruling class.”
- “They can’t collect legal taxes from illegal money.”
- “Hell must be a pretty swell spot, because the guys that invented religion have sure been trying to keep everybody else out.”
- “Some call it bootlegging. Some call it racketeering. I call it a business.”
- “The only man who makes money following the races is one who does it with a broom and shovel”
- “It’s a racket. Those stock market guys are crooked.”
- “Public service is my motto.”
- “Every time a boy falls off a tricycle, every time a black cat has gray kittens, every time someone stubs a toe, everyone says, ‘That’s Mafia.’
- “They’ve hung everything on me but the Chicago Fire.”
- “A smile can get you far, but a smile with a gun can get you farther.”
- “Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness. I am kind to everyone, but when someone is unkind to me, weak is not what you are going to remember about me.”
- “I would rather be rich affluent and greedy and go to hell when I die, than live in poverty on this earth.”
- “When I sell liquor, it’s called bootlegging; when my patrons serve it on Lake Shore Drive, it’s called hospitality.”
- “This American system of ours, call it Americanism, call it capitalism, call it what you will, gives each and every one of us a great opportunity if we only seize it with both hands and make the most of it.”
- “My rackets are run on strictly American lines and they’re going to stay that way.”
Al Capone’s quotes reveal a man who was unapologetic about his criminal activities. He saw himself as a businessman who was merely providing a service that was in high demand. His views on life and money, while contentious, shed light on the man behind the criminal persona.