Given that they are often very rich, and that the elected governments of the West seem to crumble to dictators, arms dealers and crooked regimes elsewhere, could it be that domestic politics is also largely controlled by criminals?
For instance, if Chinese gangsters opposed the building of a supermarket set to undercut their profits, surely if they are so powerful even the big businesses would be afraid to cross them, and so stay away?
Well i happen to know some drug dealers, but they dont do do the drugs themselves…but they are really nice cool down to earth. I dont think all drug dealers are bad. its not the drug dealers problem if the person buying the drugs is killing themselves, its there life. if those ppl dye from drugs, so be it. its there fault. Its a good way to make some extra money and if you do it safely with close clients, then good for them.
Some enjoy quite a bit of power. Most of it is generated by fear. And unfortunately fear does not breed respect so they must constantly be watching their backs to avoid “bad things” happening to them.
And even in the United States, the largest drug dealers never go to jail. Money buys the best attorneys. And of course, as we all know, justice depends on how much money you have.
And, although normally I do not respond to another answerer, I totally disagree with MIssy. Drug dealers prey off the weaknesses of others. They are not good people. They may put on a front and seem nice, but deep down they are using people weaker than themselves, and assisting in the degradation of society.