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Comment by RyanAdamas | Hacker News Reader

>This respect from the local population contributed to a legitimization of the mafioso, who received the support of the population given that their crimes were justified when committed against delinquents who were even worse than he (Colajanni Reference Colajanni1900). For this reason, almost everybody became directly or indirectly involved with the mafia, either by taking part in mafia activities or by covering and protecting those who committed such illegal acts (i.e., omerta').

Wow, so they lived long enough to see themselves become the bad guy? Weird to think the mafia started out as individual Batman like figures. I guess when life gives you lemons, form a cartel.

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>Wow, so they lived long enough to see themselves become the bad guy?

As always, money and power corrupts. If you can get away doing bad stuff to bad people, what's stopping you from getting away from doing bad stuff to everyone to increase your RoI.

Similarly, the Chinese (and Chinese-American) Tongs started out as helpful organizations that did things like look after the widows and children of deceased members and protect Chinese immigrants in America from racist gangs, but as they got more powerful they too began to become criminal organizations.

Similarly there was a country that once said:

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,"

... now they erect border walls.

Your missing one crucial element, the cold light of day, in other words exposure for all to see, much like what the media do when looking at their activities and role within society.

Of course, that doesn't draw any attention to their pre-emptive spying activities or the fact they seem unable to give up their sources and disrespect for privacy or thorough investigation.

This is true throughout south Italy. The mafia guarded the population against the parade of monarchies which ruled over the region for hundreds (thousands) of years.

Many of the largest gangs and criminal organizations active today began as self-defense or neighborhood defense groups.

"The Bloods was initially formed to provide members protection from the Crips." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloods)

"Originally, [MS-13] was set up to protect Salvadoran immigrants from other gangs in the Los Angeles area." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS-13)

"The inmates who formed the Nuestra Familia gang banded together to protect themselves from the Mexican Mafia" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuestra_Familia)

"The [Los Viagras cartel] began operating as a self-defense force (grupos de autodefensa comunitaria) in 2014." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Viagras)

That aspect is disputed. It’s not entirely clear how much of that story is self-mythology by the mafia.

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