Capturing Calabria? ‘ndrangheta, corruption, and maladministration in local public institutions in Southern Italy

The ‘ndrangheta is the collective name of mafia-type groups from Calabria, Italy. Some ‘ndrangheta clans’ ability to influence local public institutions has been based on personal connections, systemic corruption, electoral influence, hidden exchanges, blackmailing power, and ‘elitarian handshakes’. Mafias have long-term interests in ‘capturing’ state’s institutions to gain profits, impunity, and generally a dominant position in the resulting balance of power with the ‘legitimate’ state. In this paper, we will highlight the process of state capture at municipal level enabled by ‘ndrangheta clans in Calabria, showing how the clans’ influence-oriented policy formulation, implementation, and enforcement of rules over time.