Mafia facts for kids
A mafia is a term used to describe different types of criminal organizations. These groups often act like the original Sicilian Mafia or other similar Italian organized crime groups. Their main goal is to settle arguments between people involved in illegal activities and make sure secret deals are kept, sometimes using threats or force. These groups might also be involved in activities like gambling, loan sharking (lending money illegally at very high interest rates), and fraud.
The word "Mafia" first referred to the Sicilian Mafia. Over time, it started being used for other criminal groups that act in similar ways, like "the Russian mafia" or "the Japanese mafia." However, these groups often have their own secret names. For example, the Sicilian Mafia calls itself "Cosa Nostra." The "Japanese mafia" is known as "Yakuza" by the public, and "Russian mafia" groups sometimes call themselves "Bratva."
When people just say "the Mafia," they usually mean the Sicilian Mafia or the Italian-American Mafia. By the 2020s, a group called the 'Ndrangheta, from the southern Italian region of Calabria, became known as one of the richest and most powerful Mafia-like groups in the world.
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Where Did the Name "Mafia" Come From?
The word Mafia comes from the Sicilian language word mafiusu. This word means something like "boldness," "fearless," or "proud." If it referred to a woman, mafiusa meant "beautiful" or "attractive."
Some people think the word might have come from Arabic because Sicily was under Islamic rule for a long time. For example, one idea is that it comes from an Arabic word meaning "protection" or "safety." Another idea connects it to caves in Sicily that were used as hiding places.
The public started connecting the word "Mafia" with criminal groups after a popular play in 1863 called I mafiusi di la Vicaria (The Mafiosi of the Vicaria). Even though the play didn't use the word "Mafia," it showed a prison gang with a boss, a secret initiation, and a code of silence. This play helped spread the idea of "Mafia" as a secret criminal society. Soon after, the word began appearing in official reports about these groups.
How Do Mafia-like Groups Operate?
Many experts, like scholar Diego Gambetta, describe Mafia-like groups as organizations that offer "protection" for a fee. They use their reputation for using threats or force to stop people from cheating or stealing from those who pay them. For some people involved in secret deals, these groups might seem to offer a service when they can't rely on regular police or courts to help them.
These groups often help settle arguments among people involved in illegal activities. They also make sure that illegal agreements are kept. They act almost like a secret government for the underworld, providing a kind of "protection" to people who are part of illegal markets or deals. Sometimes, this "protection" can feel more like extortion, where they demand money with threats.
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia's official security system became very weak. This led some business people to hire criminal gangs, often called "the Russian mafia" (or krysha by the groups themselves), to enforce their contracts and protect their property. This shows how such groups can fill a gap when official systems are not working well.
Why Do People Use These Groups?
Imagine a situation where a shop owner wants to buy meat from a butcher without paying taxes. Because this is an illegal deal, neither person can go to court if the other cheats. The shop owner might worry the butcher will sell bad meat, and the butcher might worry the shop owner won't pay.
To solve this problem, they might ask a local mafioso to watch over their deal. In return, the mafioso gets a fee. If the butcher sells bad meat, the mafioso would make sure the butcher is punished. If the shop owner doesn't pay, the mafioso would punish the shop owner. Because both the shop owner and the butcher are afraid of the mafioso, they both keep their promises. This way, all three parties involved make a profit from their secret deal.
Fighting Mafia-type Organizations
In Italy, there are special laws to fight Mafia-type groups. One important law, introduced in 1982, defines what a Mafia-type association is. It describes groups that use intimidation and a code of silence to commit crimes and take control of businesses or public services for their own illegal profit. This law helps the authorities to identify and prosecute these powerful criminal organizations.
Different Mafia-like Groups Around the World
While the term "Mafia" often refers to Italian groups, many countries have their own criminal organizations that operate in similar ways. Some well-known Italian groups include:
- Camorra in Campania
- Cosa Nostra in Sicily
- 'Ndrangheta in Calabria (considered very powerful)
- Sacra Corona Unita in Apulia
Beyond Italy, other groups often called "mafia" by the public include:
- American mafia
- Chinese mafia
- Japanese mafia (also known as Yakuza)
- Mexican Mafia
- Russian mafia (sometimes called Bratva)
These groups show that organized crime is a global issue, with different names and origins but often similar methods of operation.
See also
In Spanish: Mafia para niños
