A lawyer with his briefcase can steal more than a hundred men

"A lawyer with his briefcase can steal more than a hundred men with guns." — these words, spoken by Mario Puzo, offer a sharp and sobering reflection on the nature of power, influence, and justice. Puzo, renowned for his works exploring the underworld, speaks not just to the realm of organized crime, but to the larger forces of society, where the rules and the law can be manipulated for personal gain, and where justice becomes something distant and abstract, molded by those who understand how to use it for their own benefit. In this statement, Puzo recognizes a deep truth: that those who wield the law can sometimes do far more damage than the mere criminals who use force and violence. The pen, after all, can be far mightier than the sword.

In the ancient world, lawyers and philosophers often held positions of power, able to shape the moral and legal landscape of their societies. Solon, the great Athenian lawgiver, sought to bring fairness and equity to his city, recognizing that law must serve the people. Yet, there were also those who twisted the power of the law for their own advantage, using rhetoric and legal loopholes to manipulate the truth and gain wealth and power. Even in ancient Rome, where Cicero stood as a champion of justice, there were many who used their legal knowledge to subvert the very system they were meant to uphold. The ancient world, with all its glory and wisdom, was no stranger to the power of words and laws being turned into tools of exploitation.

Puzo’s words bring this idea into the modern world, where lawyers, with their ability to navigate complex legal systems, can amass wealth and power through means that may seem perfectly legal—even if morally questionable. A lawyer’s briefcase, full of documents, contracts, and legal jargon, has the potential to steal, exploit, and manipulate in ways that the physical force of a hundred armed men could never match. The power of words, carefully chosen and strategically employed, can take everything from an individual or a society without a single bullet being fired. The legal system, a pillar of justice, can be turned into a weapon by those who know how to wield it.

Consider the example of Richard Nixon, the 37th president of the United States. Nixon, though not a lawyer by training, was deeply embedded in the legal and political systems of his time. Through manipulation, secrecy, and the abuse of power, Nixon orchestrated the Watergate scandal, a series of illegal activities meant to preserve his power and position. He used his legal knowledge, his influence, and the weight of the government to cover up the crime, not unlike a lawyer using his briefcase to manipulate the truth. Nixon’s actions, though carried out by politicians and not by a “lawyer” in the traditional sense, show how power and legal maneuvering can be just as dangerous, if not more so, than overt violence.

Another powerful example comes from the history of Wall Street, where legal maneuvering and financial schemes can lead to the same results as a hundred armed thieves. The 2008 financial crisis, precipitated by the reckless actions of bankers and financiers, saw the legal and financial systems manipulated to create a catastrophe that left millions devastated, while the perpetrators walked away unscathed. It was not a band of criminals with guns that brought about this crisis, but rather the power of contracts, loopholes, and a system designed to profit off of others’ losses. Like the lawyer with his briefcase, those who wielded the system for their own benefit left destruction in their wake, but no one was arrested, and no one faced real justice.

The lesson of Puzo’s quote is one of vigilance and awareness. Just as we must guard against the forces of violence and brute power, we must also be aware of the more insidious forms of manipulation and exploitation. Legal systems are meant to protect the vulnerable and ensure justice, but they can be corrupted by those who understand how to twist the law to their advantage. In our own lives, we must seek to understand the systems around us—whether legal, political, or economic—and ensure that they are used for the benefit of all, not just a select few. We must also be mindful of how our actions, our words, and our understanding of the world can influence and shape others. Power comes not just from strength, but from the ability to influence and control the narrative.

Thus, the true lesson is one of responsibility. Just as the lawyer has the power to manipulate with his briefcase, so too do we have the ability to influence through our actions, our words, and our choices. We must always ask ourselves: Are we using our knowledge for the benefit of others, or are we wielding it as a tool of selfishness? Let us strive to be guardians of justice, ensuring that the law serves the common good, and not as a weapon in the hands of those who would exploit it for personal gain. In doing so, we become stewards of a more just society, where the truth is upheld, and where honesty and integrity are not just ideals, but the very foundation of our actions.