The Mafia, a term synonymous with criminal organizations as a whole, actually refers to two real-world groups of the same; the Sicilian Mafia based out of Italy, and its more popular offshoot, the Italian-American Mafia.
Also referred to as the Mob, these groups have operated for a long time as a criminal society, and hold considerable power to this day. They’re known to have their hands in every profitable illegal activity under the sun, such as drug and arms trafficking, extortion, smuggling, prostitution, and racketeering just to name a few.
However, thanks to its intriguing web of crime families and secretive codes of conduct, the Mafia has had a profound cultural impact as well, being an immensely popular genre of both fiction and non-fiction media.
The origin of the Mafia is vague and difficult to pin down, as they are secretive by nature and tend to romanticize their own history. However, it is known that the Mafia was active during the 19th-century unification of Italy, in the rural regions of Southern Italy, particularly in Sicily. The word “Mafia” itself is believed to have Sicilian roots, meaning “swagger” or “boasting.”
The early Mafia operated as a secret society and had strong ties to Sicilian communities. It is important to note that the term “Mafia” was not commonly used by members to describe themselves, instead using the term “Cosa Nostra” (Our Thing).
Sicilian society
The roots of the Mafia were deeply embedded in Sicilian society, and its activities initially revolved around protection rackets, organized crime, and vendettas. The Mafia offered a form of alternative justice and security in a region plagued by poverty and a lack of effective government as a result of the frequent invaders over the centuries.
Though Italy has attempted to dissolve them with massive prosecutions, the Sicilian Mafia is still going strong to this day, with members in government on their payroll.
The more culturally relevant American Mafia started up around the late 19th century, with a massive wave of Italian immigration to the United States bringing members of the Sicilian Mafia, who put their roots down in cities like New York City. The Italian-American Mafia, often referred to as the American Cosa Nostra, was established with its own hierarchical structure and codes of conduct unique from their Sicilian counterparts.
Key figures such as Salvatore Maranzano, Lucky Luciano, and Al Capone played crucial roles in organizing and expanding the American Mafia. The Mafia started out as simple street-level gangsters but soon expanded their operations, including things like extortion, illegal gambling, and bootlegging during Prohibition to labour union manipulation and drug trafficking. By the mid-20th century, crime bosses wielded enormous influence, even infiltrating legitimate businesses and the political sphere.
Internal disputes
The Mafia’s heyday began to wane in the latter half of the 20th century due to intensified law enforcement efforts and internal disputes. However, they continue to hold considerable influence, managing to fly under the radar of major investigations as the focus of organizations like the FBI has shifted over to terrorism and drug cartels post 9/11 and the war on drugs. They are continuing to build power and are rumored to make billions a year from their ongoing racketeering operations.
Though its influence has diminished since its peak, the Mafia has continued relevance beyond the criminal underworld, in popular culture. Popular mainstream books, films, and television series, such as “The Godfather”, “Goodfellas”, “Scarface” and “The Sopranos” have glorified and immortalized the lives of mobsters. These depictions often romanticize the criminal lifestyle and explore themes of family, loyalty, and power, with varying degrees of accuracy, sometimes with input from real mafiosos.
