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The '''Mafia''' was originally the name of a loose confederation of people engaged in [[organized crime]], originating in [[Sicily]] centuries ago and spreading to the [[United States]] through immigration in the [[20th century]].

Their activities have included [[extortion]] (obtained through such means as subverting [[trade union]]s), smuggling of [[alcohol]] during [[prohibition]], [[prostitution]], [[drug]] smuggling, as well as simple theft. The term mafia has now be extended to generally include groups of people, even other than Sicilians, engaged in organized crime (compare '[[Russian mafia]]').

During [[Fascism]], in [[Italy]], the famous praefect Mori was given special powers to fight these activities, and his work resulted in many mafia members jailed or forced to escape abroad (however, it has been said that in the reality the most important "leaders" of Sicilian Mafia were enrolled in the MVSN, the fascist Militia, and suspects were also advanced of a mere use of Mori's campaign mainly for [[propaganda]] purposes - others claim however that this dispute is nothing but pure US [[propaganda]] trying to relativize the well known and shameful cooperation of USA and Mafia during the WWII). The mafia did not become powerful in Italy again until after the country's surrender in the [[Second World War]].

Many of those who escaped fled to the United States.  Among them was [[Joseph Bonanno]] who eventually dominated the US branch of the Mafia. The Americans took advantage of the circumstances, and used connections of Mafia in Sicily during the invasion in [[1943]]. [[Lucky Luciano]] and other members of Mafia, imprisoned during this time in USA, suddenly become valuable patriots and joined the US in fight against [[Fascism]]. The new American ally [[Lucky Luciano]] was pardoned and went to Sicily in [[1946]] to continue his activities.

Throughout the 20th century, attempts by governments to eliminate their activities have been made difficult by the sophisticated, hands-off nature of their operations, bribery and blackmail of law enforcement officers, judges, and politicians, and a tradition (enforced through violence) of not providing information to police to reduce one's own punishment. In Italy in particular, there has been a long history of police prosecutors and judges being murdered by the Mafia in an attempt to discourage vigorous policing. In the United States, murders of state authorities has been rare, largely out of fear of the backlash that would result.  The mobster [[Dutch Schultz]] was reported killed by his peers out of fear that he would carry out a plan to kill New York City prosecutor [[Thomas Dewey]].

In the United States, the mafia began a steep decline in the late-1970's and early 1980's due in part to laws such as the [[Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act|RICO Act]] which made it a crime to belong to an organization that performed illegal acts and to programs such as the [[witness protection program]].  This factors were combined with the gradual dissolution of the distinct Italian community through death, intermarriage, the lack of continued Italian migration, and cultural assimilation.  

In the mid-20th century, the Mafia was reputed to have infiltrated many labor unions in the United States, including the [[Teamsters]] whose president [[Jimmy Hoffa]] disappeared and is believed to have been killed by the Mafia.  In the 1980's, the United States federal government made a determined and believed successful attempt to remove Mafia influence from labor unions.

There is some evidence that in Italy that law enforcement seem to be finally gaining the upper hand over the Mafia organisations, through stronger laws, the breaking down of the "code of silence".  A huge help in fighting the military side of Mafia has been provided many so-called [[pentiti]] (Mafia members who dissociated for a milder judicial treatment), like [[Tommaso Buscetta]]. Mafia is supposed to still have a strong financial power, and latest investigations usually research the economical movements of suspect members.

The term has also been applied to organised crime organisations distinct from the Italian-based group, including [[Russia|Russian]] groups who sprung up after the fall of the Soviet empire and the Japanese [[yakuza]].

In Italy organizations like mafia have existed for centuries, and are different in different regions. Until the [[1950s]] it was mainly rural, after which it spread to the cities (e.g. [[Palermo]]) and subsequently became more internationally oriented, concentrating on drugs and prostitution.
Italian Mafia is organized in families and "cosche" (clans) in Sicily; in other regions there exist other similar organisations: [[Ndrangheta]] in [[Calabria]], [[Sacra corona unita]] in [[Apulia]], [[Camorra]] in [[Naples]]. 

There are also thought to be extensive links between the Mafia and Italian [[freemasonry|masonic]] institutions, such as [[P2]]. These first came to light in the wake of the murder of "God's Banker", [[Roberto Calvi]] found hanging in a masonic ritual murder beneath [[Blackfriars Bridge]] in [[London]] in June, [[1982]].

In the recent decades one of the most famous figures in Italy in the context of mafia has been [[Toto Riina]], supposed to have ordered the murder of the judges [[Giovanni Falcone]] and [[Paolo Borsellino]].

Recently the former prime minister [[Giulio Andreotti]] ([[Democrazia Cristiana]]) has been judicially accused of relationships with Mafia, but was finally discharged.

Today, the mafia's operations have expanded from Italy, and among the countries with famous mafia groups and activities, one can find:

*[[Brazil]]
*[[Bolivia]]
*[[China]]
*[[Colombia]]
*[[Dominican Republic]]
*[[England]]
*[[France]]
*[[Ireland]]
*[[Israel]]
*[[Kuwait]]
*[[Mexico]]
*[[Puerto Rico]]
*[[Russia]]
*[[Thailand]]
*[[United States]]

==The Five New York Mafia Families==
*[[Bonanno family]]
**[[Joseph Bonanno]]
**[[Carmine Galante]]
**[[Sal Maranzano]]
**[[Sonny Napolitano]]
**[[Joe Pistone]], "Donnie Brasco", an undercover [[FBI]] agent
*[[Colombo family]]
**[[Joe Colombo]]
**[[Carmine Persico]]
**[[Joe Profaci]]
*[[Gambino family]]
**[[Albert Anastasia]]
**[[Crazy Joe Gallo]]
**[[Carlo Gambino]]
**[[Paul Castellano]]
**[[John Gotti]]
**[[Sammy Gravano|Sammy "The Bull" Gravano]]
**[[Al Mineo]]
*[[Genovese family]]
**[[Frank Costello]]
**[[Frank Tieri|Frank "Funzi" Tieri]]
**[[Vito Genovese]]
**[[Vincent Gigante|Vincent "The Chin" Gigante]]
**[[Lucky Luciano]]
**[[Joseph Masseria|Joseph "Joe The Boss" Masseria]]
**[[Fat Tony Salerno]]
**[[Joe Valachi]], the first mafiosi to publicly betray omerta
*[[Lucchese family]]
**[[Tommy Gagliano]]
**[[Tommy Lucchese]]
**[[Tom Reina]]

==Other Mafiosi==
*[[Al Capone]]
*[[Bugsy Siegel]]

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'''Mafia''' is also an [[island]] that is part of [[Tanzania]].