The only markets in which the mafia developed in the second half of the nineteenth century, however, were those which were contiguous to rural western Sicily. This contiguity must therefore be significant. As a result of specific conditions, these areas may have served as a crucible for the development of reputation and viable networks. In short, the skills characteristic of the mafioso must indeed have received a vital stimulus from the interior, as Franchetti's theory implies.

Builds on: "Mafia thrives in prosperous regions, not impoverished ones"

Diego Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia The Busi…, loc. 224