Part 2/12:
The roots of the mafia trace back to 19th-century Sicily. Frustrated by years of peasantry and poverty, Sicilian men formed clans, resorting to extortion as their primary mode of operation. They demanded protection money from wealthy landowners, deploying violence if their threats were ignored. This strategic approach not only filled their pockets but also instilled a culture of fear—one that thrived in secrecy, similar to an underground version of Fight Club.