La Cosa Nostra

Since my exams ended, i've been so bored. Rented some old time films. Films like "Godfather", "Goodfellas", "Donnie Brasco" really got me interested in the crime genre movies, especially when it involves the mafia.
The internal workings of the Mafia, also known as Cosa Nostra, is really interesting. Let me share with you how it works.

The mafia is not primarilly an organisation of murderers. First and foremost, the mafia is made up of theives. It is driven by greed and controlled by fear. Everything is done to make money. Murder is secondary, the tool of enforcement, the threat.

The five major mafia families are based in New York City: Gambino, Bonnano, Lucchese, Genovese, Colombo. (If u're thinking about Corleone, thats fictitious... hahahaha.. ) Each family is run by a boss. Each boss has absolute power and authority of his family. A simple yes or no, a nod of head, or a waggle of his finger, he has the power of death over anybody in his organisation.

Beneath each boss in a family, each level of the chain of command requires total respect of those below. Each family has an underboss, also known as a consiglieri (counselor), who mediates disputes and advises the boss.
Below the boss and consiglieri, are the capo (captains). There are many captains in a family. Each capo has many soldiers under him. Soldiers are the lowest level of made guys.
A made guy, also known as a wiseguy is someone who has been inducted into the mafia.

Then there are a lot of "connected" guys who are associated with the made guys, but themselves are not made. To become a "Made man" the inductee had to have 100% Italian roots. To attack, let alone kill, a made man for any reason without the permission of those mafioso higher up in the organisation is seen as a sin which will normally meet with severe retaliation, in many cases regardless of whether the perpetrator has a legitimate grievance. The made man was traditionally seen as untouchable by the law as well as by his fellow criminals, a man to be respected and feared.

If you're a "connected" guy, in partnership with wiseguys (some soldiers or capos), you are subject to many of the same rules as everybody else in the family. You have to give respect and share your profits. But they don't necessary have to share with you. And you are not entitled the same respect and protection given to wiseguys.

I'm not glorifying the mafioso.. its just interesting to see how their kind of world looks like that's so different from ours. And since this is my first official entry, i wanted to share something thats really interesting.