Economic Origins of the Sicilian Mafia: A Simulation Feedback Model
Abstract
This chapter develops a feedback economic model that explains the rise of the Sicilian mafia in the 19th century. Grounded in economic theory, the model incorporates causal relationships between the mafia activities, predation, law enforcement, and the profitability of local businesses. Using computational experiments with the model, we explore how different factors and feedback effects impact the mafia activity levels. The model explains important historical observations such as the emergence of the mafia in wealthier regions and its absence in the poorer districts despite the greater levels of banditry.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2304.07975,
title = {Economic Origins of the Sicilian Mafia: A Simulation Feedback Model},
author = {Oleg V. Pavlov and Jason M. Sardell},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2304.07975},
year = {2023}
}
Comments
In R. Y. Cavana, B. C. Dangerfield, O. V. Pavlov, M. J. Radzicki, & I. D. Wheat (Eds.), Feedback Economics: Economic Modeling with System Dynamics. Pp. 137-161. New York: Springer