Originally Posted by NYMafia
Originally Posted by Havana
Originally Posted by NYMafia
Originally Posted by Havana
The Cotroni Clan seemed to be longer in Montreal and the Calabrians seemed stronger as well as longer in Montreal and yet,they joined Cosa Nostra instead of the Cosa Nostra members falling in with them.Why is it that in any city where the Camorra or 'Ndrangheta preceded and was stronger than the Cosa Nostra that they eventually join Cosa Nostra instead of the other way around or at least staying separate from Cosa Nostra

Good morning, Havana.


I have several 'theories' for this. And they are not necessarily mutually exclusive of one another...

1) The Mafia was always recognized as being the 'better' and more organized entity of the three major Italian organized crime networks — with a rigid formal "Roman legion" like structure. Whereas both Camorra and Ndrangheta are not as well hierarchically designed. So it only made sense that when they combined groups, they adapted the "better" design — the one developed by the Sicilians.

2) I suspect that the Sicilians may have already planted their flag simultaneous to coming to the "New World” — not only within the U.S., but also up in Canada. In other words — across ALL of North America. If that indeed was the case, then any other Italian organization trying to formally establish a beachhead here thereafter would have had to recognize the Sicilians as the original "resident" underworld power. 

3) Lastly, Masseria, Maranzano, and finally, their successor — Lucky Luciano — were all Sicilian. So I imagine, Luciano — as the overall architect — led them the "Mafia" way.



The way I understand it,after Masseria was killed and the Castellamarese War ended, Maranzano brought the Mafia,N'Drangheta,Camorra,and united the Sicilians with the Mainlanders
And then he laid out his plan for organizing something like the Roman Legions or Military with a Boss, Underboss, Captains, and Soldiers
And after Maranzano was killed,this type of organization chart remained

Prior tothe Castellamarese War was either Maranzano's or Masseria's gangs organized in that way?
And were the mafia families in other cities organized that way with that formal chain of command before the Castellamarese War? or in some cases were they ever organized that way in some other cities?
Likewise was that the way the Families were organized with that formal chain of command in Sicily?



The history on this is a little bit murky, but its generally believed that as a student of -- history, Julius Caesar, and the Roman Legion -- Maranzano was the base "architect" of the hierarchy style we've come to accept for a Cosa Nostra family.

Yet, Lucky Luciano is also credited with having streamlined the design of the families after his ascent to power.

But there is also evidence that back in Sicily the "borgatas" have also -- generally speaking -- followed a similar design. The big difference being that many of those "Families" were very small in size, with memberships of only 10 or 20 men. So a large "hierarchy" of underbosses, capos, etc., was neither needed or even possible. Many were designed with only a "Capo" followed by a small cadre of inducted soldiers, then "picciotti" or associates. Some had a "second in command" so to speak.... but that's it.

In the U.S.A., by the very nature of the massive families that were set up, a more robust hierarchy was likewise required to maintain tight control over the troops....leading to a large "cabinet" of capos, consiglieri to quell disagreements, etc.

There are many other nuances that came into play to affect the "development" and design of the Families.

But this is a general overall and how I have come to understand it.




So actually the whole organization of the mafia as it is today was for the most part something new created by Maranzano and continued by Luciano.
In effect I'd guess that prior to that ,the way the Camorra,Mafia,and N"drangheta were organized was not much different from each other
And thus,with the new format,the creation of Cosa Nostra all these guys,wherever they came from,were basically joining something new together

There might not even be this type of hierarchy in Sicily to this day,I would guess. Maybe more in Calabria from what I've read.And once upon at time with the Camorra

So my theory is that the Camorra guys or N'Drangheta guys didn't join the mafia ,but rather,with the Sicilians, all joined Cosa Nostra -something as new as it was old

And I'd theorize that the leaders and maybe memberships were mainly Sicilian at first because Maranzano assumed leadership,then Luciano ,and as a result more Sicilians wanted to join ,or were invited to join,than the Neapolitans,Calabrians,and others,maybe just because they didn't like or trust the Sicilians,or just thought they were better off where they were.