The Mafia

Mafia is a word that brings Italy to mind. Thanks to movies like The Godfather, the typical Italian mafia figure went international, almost eclipsing the Japanese yakuzas, the Chinese triads, the Russian Organizatsiya, the Colombian cartels and many other powerful mafias from around the world.

Background:

The Mafioso movement was born as a response to the lack of government protection in certain areas of the world. The first document that describes brotherhoods making the innocent guilty and the guilty innocent is known to have been written in 1838, and since then operations like these have been going on all around the world, invisible but right in front of our eyes.

These brotherhoods didn’t just make patsies out of innocent people to benefit their own needs; they also accumulated land over time and provided jobs for their family and friends, thus creating a solid family company where everyone trusted each other. Even today, the people within these tightly knit communities defend their boss against anything due to the help he gives them and their families. It’s also true that the ethic practiced in these kinds of families has deteriorated over time, possibly due to our modern societies thirst for power.

Modern Society:

Nowadays, mafias tend to be the first place people point the finger when it comes to social issues like illicit drug use. A lot of different governments have taken a stand against mafia associations, although sometimes they don’t realize that Mafiosos live off of what the government prohibits; this means that if the government outlaws a substance like cannabis, then that substance is immediately under Mafioso control. The money that the mafia generates with this substances is money that the government will never get their hands on, generating a sort of economic inflation; The U.S got this one right when they legalized medicinal marijuana, generating more state revenue.

War conflicts:

In certain points in history, the United States has used mafia families to help solve issues; during WWII, Cosa Nostra helped the allies arrive safely to Sicily, while the Japanese Yakuza and Russian Organizatsiya helped their respective countries, all while criminal organizations in Iraq were also collaborating.

During the infamous Opium War of 1839 – 1842, the mafia was also involved; England began exporting opium to China and France after having harvested it in India, while the US supported them as a motion to expand its colonies. Right up until today, there are still illegal drug operations that count on the support of foreign governments that supposedly signed against these sorts of things in the Vienna Treaty. Still, you can acquire illegal substances that were grown or made on the other side of the planet, having come across borders and inspections of all sorts.

Some people think that Mafias are a good thing, and some people believe the opposite. Either way you look at it, thanks to them we now have access to substances and services that they offer, some of which have been adopted and regulated by some governments or private companies that collaborate with them, like rubbish and garbage treatment.

Translation: Ciara Murphy