Origins of the Sicilian Mafia: The Market for Lemons

Re:Origins of the Sicilian Mafia: The Market for Lemons by usrusr on Monday January 15, 2018 @04:10AM (#16149432)

Objectively worse, as organized crime tends to eventually infiltrate all legitimate economic activity on its turf, radically undermining long term productivity. Unorganized crime may take some of the fruits of the economy, but organized crime can infect the roots.

"Self-employed" thiefs (to pick the most straight-forward form of crime for as an example) will likely change their ways after somehow landing a regular job, people who stole for an organization might continue to report to their old bosses, willing or not.

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Re:Origins of the Sicilian Mafia: The Market for Lemons by cs1717p on Monday January 15, 2018 @05:58PM (#16154207)

That's one way of looking at it -- another way is to look at something like the Mafia as being analogous to an early form of law and order (albeit arguably a tiny bit more openly violent, ruthless than your average developing world police force). Something still lacking today in most countries.

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