The word Mafia creates an air of fear mingled with an amusing curiosity. It portrays both a dark and an interesting side, urging people to know more about it. No matter how fanciful it may sound, it still is a criminal organisation. Born in the early 19th century, it's genesis started in Sicily,Italy. Then the web of Mafia spread, literally, to each and every corner of the Earth. The powerful hand of Mafia reaches everywhere still now.
The Mafia started and spread through Italy since the Feudal system began there. It was started by a sect of criminals who followed rigid rules and regulations. They had specific gestures to identify each other and regular protection from the authority themselves. An 1865 dispatch from the prefect of Palermo to Rome first officially described them as a "Mafia.
In that time in Italy, the barons charged heavy taxes on the peasants, and tormented them in many ways. Relatives of the baron did various injustice to the peasants and were never punished, due to their power in high posts. People started to take matters to the local Mafia families. They paid money for 'justices' to be served, usually a bullet from the Mafia family to the tormentor, whoever they maybe. This started the Robin Hood image of the Mafia. But soon, the local bosses twisted their appetite and became corrupted, forcefully hiring people into their clans and using their popularity as a weapon.
An interesting document has been seized from the hideout of mafia boss Salvatore Lo Piccolo in 2007.The document lists 10 Commandments of a faithful soldier of the family.
1.No one can present himself directly to another of our friends. There must be a third person to do it.
2.Never look at the wives of friends.
3.Never be seen with cops.
4.Don't go to pubs and clubs.
5.Always being available for Cosa Nostra is a duty - even if your wife is about to give birth.
6.Appointments must absolutely be respected.
7.Wives must be treated with respect.
8.When asked for any information, the answer must be the truth.
9.Money cannot be appropriated if it belongs to others or to other families.
10.People who can't be part of Cosa Nostra: anyone who has a close relative in the police, anyone with a two-timing relative in the family, anyone who behaves badly and doesn't hold to moral values.
It actually shows a contrasting version of the ruthless and brutal stories we hear everytime. Unfortunately, none of these commandments are followed, as the grip of greed is too strong in everyone. In the past, women and children were spared or never touched. Even the families of the victim were well taken care of! These are just myths now, sadly.
Ways of earning money by the Mafia:
Extortion- Every business, large or small, have to pay a fixed amount to the controlling family. In repay, the family 'protected' the business, or ensured no harm would befall upon it.
Drug trafficking- The more eager and greedy Mafia families are tightly tied to this vile crime. Sicilian mafiosi moved to the United States to personally control distribution networks there, often at the expense of their U.S. counterparts. Heroin addiction in Europe and North America surged, and seizures by police increased dramatically. By 1982, the Sicilian Mafia controlled about 80% of the heroin trade in the north-eastern United States.Through the heroin trade, the Mafia became wealthier and more powerful than ever.
Arms trafficking
Control of contracting-The Sicilian Mafia makes around €6.5 billion a year through control of public and private contracts
Mediation of criminal businesses-Mafiosi are sometimes paid to protect merchants or clients in business dealings. This is often the case in black market deals where the law offers no protection.
In December 1962 some heroin went missing from a shipment to America. When the Sicilian Mafia Commission could not decide who was to blame, one of the clans involved – the La Barbera clan – took matters into its own hands. They murdered a mafioso from the Greco clan whom they suspected of stealing the heroin, triggering a war in which many non-mafiosi would be killed in the crossfire.This was the first MAFIA WAR, but surely not the last.
Different policies in Italy and USA have diminished the Mafia greatly. But never get the wrong idea, they still exist, among ourselves.Still bodies are found floating in the Brooklyn river with their throats slit. Well they have to exist! Or else how in the world are we gonna get great movies and games like The Mafia, The Godfather!!
The Mafia started and spread through Italy since the Feudal system began there. It was started by a sect of criminals who followed rigid rules and regulations. They had specific gestures to identify each other and regular protection from the authority themselves. An 1865 dispatch from the prefect of Palermo to Rome first officially described them as a "Mafia.
In that time in Italy, the barons charged heavy taxes on the peasants, and tormented them in many ways. Relatives of the baron did various injustice to the peasants and were never punished, due to their power in high posts. People started to take matters to the local Mafia families. They paid money for 'justices' to be served, usually a bullet from the Mafia family to the tormentor, whoever they maybe. This started the Robin Hood image of the Mafia. But soon, the local bosses twisted their appetite and became corrupted, forcefully hiring people into their clans and using their popularity as a weapon.
An interesting document has been seized from the hideout of mafia boss Salvatore Lo Piccolo in 2007.The document lists 10 Commandments of a faithful soldier of the family.
1.No one can present himself directly to another of our friends. There must be a third person to do it.
2.Never look at the wives of friends.
3.Never be seen with cops.
4.Don't go to pubs and clubs.
5.Always being available for Cosa Nostra is a duty - even if your wife is about to give birth.
6.Appointments must absolutely be respected.
7.Wives must be treated with respect.
8.When asked for any information, the answer must be the truth.
9.Money cannot be appropriated if it belongs to others or to other families.
10.People who can't be part of Cosa Nostra: anyone who has a close relative in the police, anyone with a two-timing relative in the family, anyone who behaves badly and doesn't hold to moral values.
It actually shows a contrasting version of the ruthless and brutal stories we hear everytime. Unfortunately, none of these commandments are followed, as the grip of greed is too strong in everyone. In the past, women and children were spared or never touched. Even the families of the victim were well taken care of! These are just myths now, sadly.
Ways of earning money by the Mafia:
Extortion- Every business, large or small, have to pay a fixed amount to the controlling family. In repay, the family 'protected' the business, or ensured no harm would befall upon it.
Drug trafficking- The more eager and greedy Mafia families are tightly tied to this vile crime. Sicilian mafiosi moved to the United States to personally control distribution networks there, often at the expense of their U.S. counterparts. Heroin addiction in Europe and North America surged, and seizures by police increased dramatically. By 1982, the Sicilian Mafia controlled about 80% of the heroin trade in the north-eastern United States.Through the heroin trade, the Mafia became wealthier and more powerful than ever.
Arms trafficking
Control of contracting-The Sicilian Mafia makes around €6.5 billion a year through control of public and private contracts
Mediation of criminal businesses-Mafiosi are sometimes paid to protect merchants or clients in business dealings. This is often the case in black market deals where the law offers no protection.
In December 1962 some heroin went missing from a shipment to America. When the Sicilian Mafia Commission could not decide who was to blame, one of the clans involved – the La Barbera clan – took matters into its own hands. They murdered a mafioso from the Greco clan whom they suspected of stealing the heroin, triggering a war in which many non-mafiosi would be killed in the crossfire.This was the first MAFIA WAR, but surely not the last.
Different policies in Italy and USA have diminished the Mafia greatly. But never get the wrong idea, they still exist, among ourselves.Still bodies are found floating in the Brooklyn river with their throats slit. Well they have to exist! Or else how in the world are we gonna get great movies and games like The Mafia, The Godfather!!
I forgot to mention...Fahim, my friend, is the instigator of this post! He is the one who helped me to write this well!
ReplyDeleteLol ......u mentioned my name??.....thnx........anyways gettin back to the post.......yeah i was really impressed with how u sqeezed in so much in so little space......like it very much.....n itz really convinient that u gave sub heading......this deserves a 3.8 out of 5............:-)
ReplyDeleteDost! You are my official Critic!! THX ! It means a lot! Next stop a 4 out of 5!! keep on rating!
ReplyDeleteMoja lagse poira! Valo leksosh. Shabash!
ReplyDelete@faisal...thx dosto..onno post gula ki porsos?
ReplyDelete