Lessons from the Past: Sicilian Mafiosi in New York City and Rosario, circa 1880–1940
Lessons from the Past: Sicilian Mafiosi in New York City and Rosario, circa 1880–1940
From the mid-nineteenth century, many Sicilians, including members of the mafia, were on the move. After sketching the contours of the mafia in Sicily in the nineteenth century, this chapter outlines the parallel history of Italian migration and mafia activities in New York City and Rosario, Argentina, and offers an analytic account of the diverging outcomes. Only in the North American city did a mafia that resembled the Sicilian one emerge. The Prohibition provided an enormous boost to both the personnel and power of Italian organized crime. The risk of punishment was low, the gains to be made were enormous, and there was no social stigma attached to this trade.
Keywords: Italian organized crime, mafia, Sicily, New York City, Italian migration, Prohibition, Rosario
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