So, my first entry in my new blog is about a book I first encountered 40 years ago. Facing a flight back from Boston to Heathrow with nothing to read, I picked up a paperback copy of The Godfather.
I was surprised that, to me, unlike many potboilers of the past this book has not dated. It tells a dramatic story in a very plain, almost matter-of-fact way. Gross violence and cruelty is recounted like it was a visit to the supermarket. Mario Puzo was accused of glorifying the mafia but, to the contrary, he shows up clearly how they rationalised killing and intimidation as part of the everyday business life of a major organisation. Of course, the mafia operates outside the Western framework of law and custom which acts as a restraint on business decision-making. But his book provides food for thought about how vast multinational corporations like Apple and Amazon are taking their business decisions: where does moral dimension come in; why bother with it at all if it gets in the way of profits, growth and the interests of shareholders and senior management (aka masters of the universe)? Then again, what happens when the big corporation is operating within, or even more so, headquartered in, a country where corruption is part of the fabric of society? Also, where does all the money go that is generated by the mafia? It clearly doesn't stay in the organisations that work outside the law. There is a grey area between legitimate business and mafia-type organisations that is a constant source of concern. I would say this book is still relevant as it makes you think about that dividing line, and how people behave when the restraints are off: well worth re-reading.
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