Hess argues that Mini, and many others like him, are essentially truthful: "Mini knew individuals whom he called 'mafiosi' not because they were members of a secret society but because they acted in a certain way, a mafioso way" (p. ix). Drawing mainly on late nineteenth century judicial evidence, Hess sees the mafia as a cluster of "small clique-like associations which are independent of each other but maintain relations with one another, which support each other, make arrangements with each other, at times take joint action, but on occasions can be at daggers drawn" (p. 11). These small groups, called cosche, or families, do not, according to Hess, have an awareness of themselves as a collectivity, as "we."

Diego Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia The Busi…, loc. 260