"Mafiosi are just enterprising people who are denied legitimate opportunity." Comment

Essay by riadliaUniversity, Bachelor'sC+, December 2006

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This essay is designed to provide an insight into contemporary Mafia in terms of its diversity of history and beliefs. We will analyse why the Mafiosi were denied legitimate opportunities, which resulted in criminal activity as well as the word mafia it self, characteristics other aspects of mafia such as the beginning and famous mobsters will be applied at the end as I will also enclose some information's based in articles . We chose to do this presentation as Mafia it seems up to now to be an important issue and has survived thought centuries.

The Mafia is a secret society which first developed in the mid 19th century in Sicily and is based on criminal activity. The origin of the word mafia is up to now debated; There are a number of possible explanations, however in this essay we will concentrate on the three most answerable. First shall we explore the term Cosa Nostra which is been used most in America and it means our things or our values.

Mafia in America emerged on the East Coast of the US during the late 19th century following waves of Sicilian emigration. www.madaboutbooks.com/CosaNostra/q&a.htm - 26k

In Italy it's been none as Mafia where the first letters of the words means: M- Morte A-alla F-Francia I-Italia A- Anela= Death to French, Italy cries- This statement was allegedly made during a 1282 revolt in Palermo against French occupiers.

www.funtrivia.com/ask.cfm?action=details&qnid=674 - 7

Another possible explanation for Mafia considers that is a Sicilian word for boldness or bravado. There are hints that it originates from Arabic word mahjas, meaning aggressive boasting, bragging. At its most basic, the word "mafia" conveys for family values, and protecting the weak against the powerful with a sense of freedom, power and spirit. www.funtrivia.com/ask.cfm?action=details&qnid=674 - 7k

In any event, the...