Sicilian Sulphur and Mafia: Resources, Working Conditions and the Practice of Violence

Carlo Ciccarelli (), Alberto Dalmazzo () and Tiziano Razzolini ()
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Alberto Dalmazzo: University of Siena
Tiziano Razzolini: University of Siena

No 14959, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper reconsiders the nexus between the abundance of resources and the origins of Sicilian mafia by exploiting a new set of historical data on the Sicilian sulphur industry in the late 19th century, obtained from official reports of the Royal Corps of Mining Engineers at the municipal level. We find that the impact of local production on mafia was smaller -or nil- in the areas richest in sulphur. We also find that mechanization in the extraction process was associated with lower incidence of mafia. Taken together, our findings suggest that larger lodes encouraged better and more orderly working conditions for the miners, possibly reducing physical and psychic strain and, consequently, inclination to violence.

Keywords: sulphur; working conditions; Mafia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H75 J28 K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 34 pages
Date: 2021-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-his, nep-law and nep-lma
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Published - substantially revised version published in: Cliometrica, 2024,18, 531–565

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Related works:
Journal Article: Sicilian sulphur and mafia: resources, working conditions and the practice of violence (2024)
Journal Article: Sicilian sulphur and mafia: resources, working conditions and the practice of violence (2024)
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