Mafia: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Sicilian mafia 1901.jpg|thumb|300px|right]]

The Mafia also known as the Cosa Nostra is a criminal syndicate based in Italy that emerged in the mid-19th century in Sicily. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protection_racket protection racketeering]. Each group, known as a "family", "clan", or "''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosca cosca]''", claims [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereignty sovereignty] over a territory in which it operates its [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racket_%28crime%29 rackets] – usually a town or village or a neighbourhood (''borgata'') of a larger city. Its members call themselves "men of honour", although the public often refers to them as "mafiosi".

The '''Mafia''' also known as the Cosa Nostra is a criminal syndicate based in Italy that emerged in the mid-19th century in Sicily. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protection_racket protection racketeering]. Each group, known as a "family", "clan", or "''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosca cosca]''", claims [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereignty sovereignty] over a territory in which it operates its [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racket_%28crime%29 rackets] – usually a town or village or a neighbourhood (''borgata'') of a larger city. Its members call themselves "men of honour", although the public often refers to them as "mafiosi".

According to the classic definition, the Mafia is a criminal organization originating in Sicily.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-lupo1_1-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Mafia#cite_note-lupo1-1]</sup>However, the term "mafia" has become a generic term for any organized criminal network with similar structure, methods, and interests.

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 [[File:Sicilian mafia 1901.jpg|thumb|300px|right]]
-The Mafia also known as the Cosa Nostra is a criminal syndicate based in Italy that emerged in the mid-19th century in Sicily. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protection_racket protection racketeering]. Each group, known as a "family", "clan", or "''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosca cosca]''", claims [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereignty sovereignty] over a territory in which it operates its [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racket_%28crime%29 rackets] – usually a town or village or a neighbourhood (''borgata'') of a larger city. Its members call themselves "men of honour", although the public often refers to them as "mafiosi".
+The '''Mafia''' also known as the Cosa Nostra is a criminal syndicate based in Italy that emerged in the mid-19th century in Sicily. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protection_racket protection racketeering]. Each group, known as a "family", "clan", or "''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosca cosca]''", claims [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereignty sovereignty] over a territory in which it operates its [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racket_%28crime%29 rackets] – usually a town or village or a neighbourhood (''borgata'') of a larger city. Its members call themselves "men of honour", although the public often refers to them as "mafiosi".
 According to the classic definition, the Mafia is a criminal organization originating in Sicily.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-lupo1_1-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Mafia#cite_note-lupo1-1]</sup>However, the term "mafia" has become a generic term for any organized criminal network with similar structure, methods, and interests.