question: What’s the difference between a mafia and cartel?
comment: “Cartel” is a word that comes from economics. A cartel is a group of businesses that agree to stop competing with each other and instead decide on one, high price that all the businesses will charge. This makes prices much higher for consumers than they would be if the businesses were competing, and makes them more money. ~~The drug trafficking organizations are called “cartels” because that’s what they are. They are groups of semi-independent drug dealers that work together instead of competing.~~ Credit to u/Zombiac3 and u/greenops and others for pointing out a mistake. The original Mexican and Colombian cartels were true cartels, but were eventually centralized by powerful leaders or broke back apart. The name, however, has stuck. Their modern behavior is not very cartel-like anymore. & #x200B; “Mafia” is a word that comes from Sicilian that originally meant “bold” or “full of swagger”. It eventually became the English-language name for Sicilian crime families in the US, and was later applied to other ethnic criminal groups. & #x200B; & #x200B; **EDIT: If you're going to reply something about Canadian telecom companies, it's really not necessary anymore. Trust me.**
passages: The scholar of Law and Economics Edgardo Buscaglia describes the political system of Mexico as a "Mafiacracy". Buscaglia characterises the condition between the state, the economy and organized crime in Mexico as a mutual interweaving, Mexico has also been labeled as a Narco-state (a country where the political power and the economy it's closely related and its relies highly on protecting the drug trafficking mafias).
  
  Section::::Particular applications of the concept.:Countries described as Mafia states.:Malta.
   There are other operating groups within the drug cartels. For example, the drug producers and suppliers, although not considered in the basic structure, are critical operators of any drug cartel, along with the financiers and money launderers. In addition, the arms suppliers operate in a completely different circle, and are technically not considered part of the cartel's logistics.
  
  Section::::Africa.
  
  BULLET::::- Cape Verdean organized crime
  
  BULLET::::- Mungiki
  
  BULLET::::- Nigerian organized crime
  
  BULLET::::- Confraternities in Nigeria
  
  BULLET::::- Black Axe Confraternity
  
  BULLET::::- Anini gang
  
  BULLET::::- Mai-Mai militia gangs
  
  BULLET::::- Moroccan hashish smugglers
  
  BULLET::::- Ahmed organization
  
  Section::::Americas.
  
  Section::::Americas.:North America.
  
  Section::::Americas.:North America.:Canada.
  
  BULLET::::- Rivard organization
   BULLET::::10. "La Eme comes first. Even before your own family.
  
  BULLET::::11. "A member must not interfere with another member's business activities.
  
  Section::::Culture.:Allies and rivals.
  
  The Mexican Mafia is the controlling organization for almost every Hispanic gang in Southern California, and some gangs located in Central and Northern California. Members of almost all Hispanic gangs in Southern California are obliged under the threat of death to carry out any and all orders from made Mexican Mafia members. The Mexican Mafia also holds a loose alliance with the Aryan Brotherhood, mainly due to their common rivals within the prison system.
   Although organized crime existed in the Soviet era, the gangs really gained in power and international reach during the transition to capitalism. The term Russian Mafia, 'mafiya' or mob is a blanket (and somewhat inaccurate) term for the various organized crime groups that emerged in this period from the 15 former republics of the USSR and unlike their Italian counterparts does not mean members are necessarily of Russian ethnicity or uphold any ancient criminal traditions, although this is the case for some members.
  
  BULLET::::- Russian-Jewish mafia
  
  BULLET::::- Brighton Beach
  
  BULLET::::- Agron gang
  
  BULLET::::- Nayfeld gang
  
  BULLET::::- Balagula gang
   Section::::History.:Early years and "Chroma" (2003–2006).
   BULLET::::- Dobroshi gang (International)
  
  BULLET::::- Naserligan (Sweden)
  
  BULLET::::- K-Falangen (Sweden)
  
  BULLET::::- Bosnian mafia
  
  BULLET::::- Prazina gang
  
  BULLET::::- Bajramović gang
  
  BULLET::::- Delalić gang
  
  BULLET::::- M-Falangen (Sweden)
  
  BULLET::::- Bulgarian mafia "(see also Multigroup)"
  
  BULLET::::- VIS
  
  BULLET::::- SIC
  
  BULLET::::- Karamanski gang
  
  BULLET::::- TIM
  
  BULLET::::- Naglite
  
  BULLET::::- Rashkov clan
  
  BULLET::::- Serbian mafia
  
  BULLET::::- Arkan clan
  
  BULLET::::- Zemun Clan
  
  BULLET::::- Joca Amsterdam gang
  
  BULLET::::- Magaš clan
  
  BULLET::::- Giška gang
  
  BULLET::::- Pink Panthers
  
  BULLET::::- Serb mafia in Scandinavia
  
  BULLET::::- Kotur mob
  
  BULLET::::- Yugoslav Brotherhood
  
  BULLET::::- Montenegrin mafia "(see also allegations of Milo Đukanović's involvement in cigarette smuggling)"
  
  BULLET::::- Macedonian mafia
  
  BULLET::::- Frankfurt mafia
  
  BULLET::::- Bajrush klan
   La Eme should not be confused with the New Mexican Mafia. Around 1974, a group of Hispanic inmates at Arizona State Prison, Florence, formed a prison gang known as the Mexican Mafia. Arizona Department of Corrections officials at that time obtained information that this group patterned themselves after the California Mexican Mafia which had been in existence for several years. Several Hispanics who came into the Arizona Prison System brought the concept and philosophy of the California Mexican Mafia. In 1978 the Mexican Mafia split into two organizations. One kept the original philosophy and structure and currently refer to themselves as the Original Mexican Mafia, "Califas Faction", "EME". The other, which came into prominence in 1984, refer to themselves as the New Mexican Mafia. Many assaults and murders of members of both groups have occurred as a result of each organization claiming the title of "Mexican Mafia" within the Arizona prison system. They have created their own rules and regulations and have established an organizational structure. Each member is allowed to vote on issues regarding membership and leadership. The leader, approved by the members, has the power to solely decide important issues.
   Section::::Criminal activities.:2010s.
   The United States of America is the world's largest consumer of cocaine and other illegal drugs. This is a list of American criminal organizations involved in illegal drug traffic, drug trade and other related crimes in the United States:
  
  BULLET::::- National Crime Syndicate
  
  BULLET::::- Seven Group
  
  BULLET::::- Murder, Inc.
  
  BULLET::::- Polish Mob
  
  BULLET::::- Saltis-McErlane Gang
  
  BULLET::::- Kielbasa Posse
  
  BULLET::::- The Greenpoint Crew
  
  BULLET::::- Flats Mob
  
  BULLET::::- The Flathead gang
  
  BULLET::::- Prohibition-era gangs
  
  BULLET::::- Galveston
  
  BULLET::::- Downtown Gang
  
  BULLET::::- Beach Gang
  
  BULLET::::- The Maceo syndicate
  
  BULLET::::- Shelton Brothers Gang
  
  BULLET::::- Sheldon Gang
  
  BULLET::::- Broadway Mob
  
  BULLET::::- The Lanzetta Brothers
   BULLET::::- New York
  
  BULLET::::- Dwyer gang
  
  BULLET::::- The Westies
  
  BULLET::::- White Hand Gang
  
  BULLET::::- Higgins gang
  
  BULLET::::- St Louis
  
  BULLET::::- Hogan Gang
  
  BULLET::::- Egan's Rats
  
  Section::::Americas.:North America.:Mexico.
  
  Mexican cartels (also known in Mexico as: La Mafia (the mafia or the mob), La Maña (the skill / the bad manners), Narcotraficantes (Narco-Traffickers), or simply as Narcos) usually refers to several, rival, criminal organizations that are combated by the Mexican government in the Mexican War on Drugs (List sorted by branches and heritage):
  
  BULLET::::- Gulf Cartel (The oldest Mexican Criminal syndicate, started as prohibition-era bootlegging gang)
   The Sinaloa-Juarez alliance ceased to exist as well due to an unpaid debt in 2007, and now the Sinaloa and Juarez Cartel are at war against each other. Since February 2010, the major cartels have aligned in two factions, one integrated by the Juárez Cartel, Tijuana Cartel, Los Zetas and the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel; the other faction integrated by the Gulf Cartel, Sinaloa Cartel, La Familia Cartel (now extinct) and the Knights Templar Cartel.
  
  Section::::Structure.
   Later in the conversation Derkach states that "they've bought up all these documents throughout Europe and only the rest are in our hands".
  
  Section::::Activities.:Violence.
  
  Section::::Activities.:Violence.:Discipline.
   Section::::Activities.:Counterintelligence.
   Section::::Culture.
   Section::::Americas.:North America.:United States.:Jewish mafia.
  
  BULLET::::- New York City
  
  BULLET::::- Schultz gang
  
  BULLET::::- The Bugs and Meyer Mob
  
  BULLET::::- Shapiro Brothers
  
  BULLET::::- Yiddish Black Hand
  
  BULLET::::- Rothstein organization
  
  BULLET::::- Kaplan gang
  
  BULLET::::- Rosenzweig gang
  
  BULLET::::- Boston
  
  BULLET::::- 69th Street Gang
  
  BULLET::::- Sagansky organization
  
  BULLET::::- Solomon organization
  
  BULLET::::- Los Angeles
  
  BULLET::::- Cohen crime family (mix between Jewish and Italian members)
  
  BULLET::::- The Purple Gang
  
  BULLET::::- Zwillman gang
  
  BULLET::::- Kid Cann's gang
  
  BULLET::::- Birger mob
  
  BULLET::::- Cleveland Syndicate
  
  Section::::Americas.:North America.:United States.:African-American organized crime.
   Section::::Activities.:Violence.:Retaliation.
   BULLET::::- The Chickens and the Bulls
  
  BULLET::::- Binion mob
  
  BULLET::::- Johnston gang
  
  Section::::Americas.:North America.:United States.:American Mafia.
  
  Italian immigrants to the United States in the early 19th century formed various small-time gangs which gradually evolved into sophisticated crime syndicates which dominated organized crime in America for several decades. Although government crackdowns and a less-tightly knit Italian-American community have largely reduced their power, they remain an active force in the underworld.
  
  Section::::Americas.:North America.:United States.:Active crime families.
  
  BULLET::::- American Mafia
  
  BULLET::::- The Commission
  
  BULLET::::- The Five Families of New York City
  
  BULLET::::- Bonanno
  
  BULLET::::- Indelicato crew
  
  BULLET::::- The Motion Lounge Crew
  
  BULLET::::- Colombo
   BULLET::::- Libertadores del Vichada
  
  BULLET::::- Black Eagles
  
  Section::::Drug cartels.:Latin America.:Mexico.
  
  BULLET::::- Sinaloa Cartel
  
  BULLET::::- Milenio Cartel (defunct)
  
  BULLET::::- Colima Cartel (defunct)
  
  BULLET::::- Artistas Asesinos (defunct)
  
  BULLET::::- Gente Nueva
  
  BULLET::::- Jalisco New Generation Cartel
  
  BULLET::::- Los Ántrax
  
  BULLET::::- Gulf Cartel
  
  BULLET::::- Los Rojos
  
  BULLET::::- Los Metros
  
  BULLET::::- Los Zetas
  
  BULLET::::- Guatemala branch (defunct)
  
  BULLET::::- Knights Templar Cartel
  
  BULLET::::- La Familia Michoacana (defunct)
  
  BULLET::::- La Resistencia (defunct)
  
  BULLET::::- Juárez Cartel (disbanded)
  
  BULLET::::- La Linea
  
  BULLET::::- Tijuana Cartel (disbanded)
  
  BULLET::::- Oaxaca Cartel (defunct)
  
  BULLET::::- Los Santos street gang
  
  BULLET::::- Guadalajara Cartel (defunct)
  
  BULLET::::- Sonora Cartel (defunct)
  
  BULLET::::- Beltrán-Leyva Cartel (defunct)
   The primary rivals of the Mexican Mafia are Nuestra Familia. The Mexican Mafia is also a rival of the Black Guerrilla Family prison gang, which holds a loose alliance with La Nuestra Familia. Bloods and Crips are the new enemies.
  
  Section::::Culture.:Symbols.
   Section::::Criminal activities.:1970s.
   Section::::Incidents.
   In 2012, the Department of Treasury imposed sanctions on four key transnational organized crime groups: Camorra from Italy, Brothers' Circle from Russia, the Yamaguchi-gumi (Yakuza) from Japan, and Los Zetas from Mexico.
  
  Section::::Enforcement in the United States.:Enforcement agencies of the United States.:Drug Enforcement Administration.
   Section::::History.:"Cycles" (2008–2010).
   In several drug-producing or transit countries, drug traffickers have taken advantage of local corruption and lack of law enforcement to establish cartels turning in millions if not billions of dollars each year. Sometimes if government enforcement is particularly poor, the cartels become quasi-paramilitary organizations.
  
  Section::::Drug cartels.:Latin America.
  
  BULLET::::- Dominican drug cartels
  
  BULLET::::- Paulino organization
  
  BULLET::::- Féliz organization
  
  BULLET::::- Bolivian drug cartels "(See also García Meza regime drug trafficking)"
  
  BULLET::::- La Corporación
  
  BULLET::::- Santa Cruz cartel
  
  BULLET::::- Nicaraguan drug cartels "(see also Contras)"
  
  BULLET::::- Oscar Danilo Blandón
  
  BULLET::::- Peruvian drug cartels "(see also Shining Path and Vladimiro Montesinos)"
  
  BULLET::::- Zevallos organisation
   Section::::Present-day.
  
  Section::::Present-day.:Metros and Rojos infighting.
  