Welcome to a curated collection of Al Capone quotes. Al Capone, a name synonymous with organized crime during the Prohibition era, has often been quoted for his wit, wisdom, and at times, controversial insights. Despite his notorious reputation, his quotes reveal a complex persona who commented on topics from business to life's harsh realities. This article delves into 10 thematic sections, each exploring different facets of Capone's philosophy through his words. Join us as we navigate through the world of Al Capone, where each quote gives us a glimpse into his life and times, challenging us to reflect on power, loyalty, and the pursuit of one's goals.
Famous Al Capone Quotes
"I’m a businessman. I’ve made my money supplying a popular demand."
"Capitalism is the legitimate racket of the ruling class."
"Prohibition has made nothing but trouble."
"Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I am kind to everyone, but when someone is unkind to me, weakness is not what you are going to remember me for."
"You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone."
"I have built my organization upon fear."
"Be careful who you call your friends. I’d rather have four quarters than one hundred pennies."
"I am like any other man. All I do is supply a demand."
"Some call it bootlegging. Some call it racketeering. I call it a business."
"Hell must be a pretty swell spot, because the guys that invented religion have sure been trying hard to keep everybody else out."
"Find the toughest guy in the room. Embrace him like a brother. Then destroy him."
"The country wanted booze and I organized it. Why should I be called a public enemy?"
Al Capone on Business Quotes
"I got nothing against the honest cop on the beat."
"Business is a question of 'Ali Baba and the forty thieves'."
"You can accomplish more with a handshake and a gun than with just a handshake."
"The funny part about business is that it is supposed to be a crime if you don’t get caught."
"Every good soldier must learn to bear defeat with grace."
"A smile can get you far, but a smile with a gun can get you further."
"Business is the art of extracting money from another man’s pocket without resorting to violence."
"The toughest racket to crack is business working from a legitimate angle."
"You accomplish something by forcing others to step back."
"Why not treat yourself to the best in business, after all, it is their racket."
"You’ll never solve poverty with charity."
"It's no sin for a man to live and do well, so long as his conduct proves his worth."
Al Capone on Power Quotes
"Power doesn’t corrupt people, people corrupt power."
"You can get more with a kind word and a gun than just a kind word."
"Once you’re in, you’re in. There’s only one way out."
"The secret of success is helping people achieve their own."
"I know you have heard it before: 'Please don't anybody do it better than me.'
"Those who can play politics will control it."
"You can never win against a common force looking for their individual share."
"Power is everywhere, but those delivering it aren't."
"Every man has a life story; and the one who lives in power tells it best."
"No one runs a business without rules; it’s the law that draws them all together."
"Once they've got you branded, there ain't no changing it."
"Politics is little more than the organized power of one side over the other."
Al Capone on Life Quotes
"I am just a hard-working man, minding his own business."
"You can get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun in hand."
"Waiting around will never make anything right."
"Life’s journey is about changing everyone’s cards to make a full house."
"Don't take the insults thrown your way too seriously."
"What’s important isn’t what you did today, but what you’ll do tomorrow."
"Those who squeal on others shouldn’t live more than an hour."
"My life is an open book, but don't waste your time reading it."
"Plan your life like an open game of chess."
"Misremembering is equating to living a lie."
"A man’s life is measured by the noise taken behind him."
"I build my defense on my life's unyielding rhythm."
Al Capone on Crime Quotes
"What the law tries to punish is only the mere face of what goes on."
"The government has policies that say what I do is illegal."
"Just because you’re targeted doesn’t make what I do unfair."
"When handling controversial grounds, you’ll find some of the best footwork."
"When I sell liquor, they call it bootlegging; when my patrons serve it on Lake Shore Drive, it’s hospitality."
"A country where soft jobs outweigh the managers is corrupt by nature."
"I don't even know what street Canada is on."
"Crime doesn’t pay – as well as politics."
"You’ll never have a war without enlistments."
"Crime is presumptively illegal bureaucracy."
"I spent the best years of my life giving people the lighter pleasures, helping them have a good time, and all I get is abuse, the existence of a hunted man."
"Crime stories tend to favor one version, and that never changes."
Al Capone on Society Quotes
"A world that cares little for individual stories is a worried society."
"Loyalty is everything; the rest amounts only to sentiment."
"How the public decides your story isn't often as nice as it should be."
"What’s widely known on a street was at one time the best-kept secret."
"Everyone needs a game to keep from being bored by the breadbasket response to their reality."
"I learned early to make the best of a bad break."
"It's not what you know, but who's had their work cut out for them in front of everyone else."
"The public loves to laugh, but never at any of my jokes."
"Public interest in truth is nothing more than the latest rumor getting around."
"Be where society is while understanding your necessity of inclusion."
"People often convince themselves of their honesty before making a sale."
"Agree to spend a nickel less every day, and you'll finally see this uselessness shaping society."
Al Capone on Friendship Quotes
"Friends should have loyalty as a strong foundation."
"I know once you start a war, there's no going back."
"The call for a true friend is as real as it gets."
"A dog's trust is as powerful as nature allows it."
"Stand firm by those who stood up for you."
"Some friends are only spoken of for their betrayal."
"I never lie about such things."
"Friend you can trust dumb, but a wise friend is a nemesis disguised."
"A smile given to a friend bares no conditions."
"Choose your friends wisely."
"Friendship is often about how you present yourself."
"Too many friends only cloud the truth in life."
Al Capone on Loyalty Quotes
"In life, one needs to show loyalty first and last."
"The only person you can trust is someone willing to defend you."
"When someone takes a chance on you, never let them down."
"Always be prepared to show your true allegiances."
"Our heart beats strongest for loyalty."
"No force is more powerful than that of loyal intentions."
"Understanding loyalty is knowing its mutual need."
"Keep bonds tied tightly; they’re part of the life you embody."
"I’m open to what others believe, as long as it serves both sides."
"Knowing when loyalty ends is column essential."
"To fight for loyalty is to look anew each time."
"Loyalty defines one’s touch in securing trust."
Al Capone on Success Quotes
"Success is only humble when stripped bare."
"As a man under pressure tends to win or lose his grip, apply pressure to secure success."
"Stay out of slander by watching others rise."
"Every step taken should lead a man further to success."
"Success is counted sweetest by those who leave it behind."
"What one succeeds at must teach the legacy that stays"
"Food won with sweat is the most delicious."
"For every man—it’s the end of the climb to success that resonates. "
"Keep driving. It's the road of success you should build."
"The rise to success often requires shortcuts."
"Reward those who help push towards your goals."
"Secure success through the way you influence."
Al Capone on Change Quotes
"We all must learn to adapt to change."
"Without change, new beginnings stifle love."
"Change shocks you into awakening from your slumber."
"Put value in change, and you'll value foresight."
"Common sense will always rely on understanding the shift."
"With change comes a new layer of discipline."
"Adjusting to change is essential to ongoing adaptation."
"Drive change when you need it to be made. "
"Challenge what is truly being hoped for out of change."
"Repetition stands no chance against change."
"You must change or face slow progress."
"Anchor your soul whenever change begs you to drift.
Final words
Al Capone, though infamous for his criminal background, is remembered also for his pithy and, at times, profound observations on life. Through his words, we uncover a layer of human complexity often overshadowed by his notorious deeds. Each quote is more than just words; it’s a commentary on the facets of human ambition, the pursuit of power, and the intricate dance of loyalty and change. Whether agreed with or deeply contested, his quotes provide a lens into a bygone era characterized by both its excess and its deficiencies. Capone's words challenge us to question norms, scrutinize societal dictates, and perhaps find a semblance of relatability in ambition gone unchecked. As we conclude our introspection, these quotes from Al Capone serve as a reminder of the powerful influence of words crafted from experience, for better or worse. They prompt reflection, demand contemplation, and ultimately highlight that, beneath the man who divided opinions, lay a voice challenging us to perceive the world in varying shades.
