The origins of the Mafia

There were number of factors that contributed to the development of Mafia from feudalism. From the center of Sicily the mafia came into being from the feudal estates (feudi). At first, the mafia's purpose was to defend feudal privileges in the rural districts. But the total lack of public authority and the absolute power of the lords which was delegated to henchmen whose only qualification was their talent for delinquency, built up a tyranny based …

…to 1848, the gabellottos established authority and power onthe estates. They brought out the estates from the feudal lords and took over the land. By 1860, Italy was dominated by the Mafia transforming Sicily from feudalism. There was a mafia in every feudal estate where thegabellottos formed an army. The origins of the Mafia were mainly from the feudalestates in the center of Sicily and the inner districts of provinces of Palermo,Trapani, Agrigento, Caltanissetta, and Enna.