Mafia Business: economic performances of the organised crime and the role of the public policies

Abstract

The Tenth Annual Report published by "Sos Impresa", an Antiracket Association, notices that the organized crime is ah heavy "ballast" in the Southern Italian Economy: "Mafia Business makes annual revenues for 90 mln €, about the 6% ofItalian GDP". This work presents a reading of the organized crime under two perspectives: on one hand, the Becker's theory suggests an important role of the public security expending in the battle between the State and organized crime; on the other hand, the trust that Mafia tries toimpose in market relations, according Zamagni and Sen's contributes, makes Mafia an important social player in many economic backward countries.Mafia, organized crime, trust, conflict, Southern Italy, Amartya Sen, Gary becker, Calabria, Sicilia, Adam Smith,monopoly