reminds me of something from Goodfellas:
Henry Hill: All they got from Paulie was protection from other guys looking to rip them off. That's what it's all about. That's what the FBI can never understand - that what Paulie and the organization offer is protection for the kinds of guys who...
It was a combination of evil forces involving corporate greed (timber, duPont, Mellon) and racist xenophobia against mexicans and blacks. It's a good documentary narrated by Woody Harrelson. You can see it here...
SPOILER ALERT
At the end of season two, I don't understand how Silas had access to the stash.
If you want to catch up on the episodes, they are all easily available torrents.