Editing Mafia (section)

==Violence and reputation==
===Murder===
Murders are almost always carried out by members. It is very rare for the Mafia to recruit an outsider for a single job, and such people are liable to be eliminated soon afterwards because they become expendable liabilities.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-153">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Mafia#cite_note-153 [153]]</sup>
===Reputation===
The Mafia's power comes from its reputation to commit violence, particularly murder, against virtually anyone and get away with it. Through reputation, mafiosi deter their enemies and enemies of their clients. It allows mafiosi to protect a client without being physically present (e.g. as bodyguards or watchmen), which in turn allows them to protect many clients at once.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-154">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Mafia#cite_note-154 [154]]</sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-155">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Mafia#cite_note-155 [155]]</sup>

Compared to other occupations, reputation is especially valuable for a mafioso, as his primary product is protection through intimidation. The reputation of a mafioso is dichotomous: he is either a good protector or a bad one; there is no mediocrity. This is because a mafioso can only either succeed at an act of violence or fail utterly. There is no spectrum of quality when it comes to violent protection.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-156">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Mafia#cite_note-156 [156]]</sup> Consequently, a series of failures can completely ruin a mafioso's reputation, and with it his business.

The more fearsome a mafioso's reputation is, the more he can win disputes without having recourse to violence. It can even happen that a mafioso who loses his means to commit violence (e.g. his soldiers are all in prison) can still use his reputation to intimidate and provide protection if everyone is unaware of his weakness and still believes in his power.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-157">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Mafia#cite_note-157 [157]]</sup> However, in the tough world of the Mafia, such bluffs generally do not last long, as his rivals will soon sense his weakness and challenge him.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-158">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Mafia#cite_note-158 [158]]</sup>

When a Mafia boss retires from leadership (or is killed), his clan's reputation as effective protectors and enforcers often goes with him. If his replacement has a weaker reputation, clients may lose confidence in the clan and defect to its neighbours, causing a shift in the balance of power and possible conflict. Ideally, the successor to the boss will have built a strong reputation of his own as he worked his way up the ranks, giving the clan a reputable new leader.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-159">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Mafia#cite_note-159 [159]]</sup> In this way, established Mafia clans have a powerful edge over newcomers who start from scratch; joining a clan as a soldier offers an aspiring mafioso a chance to build up his own reputation under the guidance and protection of senior mafiosi.
===Violent successions===
Mafia violence is most commonly directed at other Mafia families competing for territory and business.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-160">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Mafia#cite_note-160 [160]]</sup>

Violence is more common in the Sicilian Mafia than the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Mafia American Mafia] because Mafia families in Sicily are smaller and more numerous, creating a more volatile atmosphere.