Final answer:
The Italian Mafia formed during the same time as the modern Italian state due to social unrest, economic disparity, and political instability, finding a place in a country fraught with turmoil. The rise of Fascism under Mussolini paralleled the Mafia's growth by promising national strength and stability, exploiting Italy's fractured political landscape following the nation's unification.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Creation of the Italian Mafia and the Rise of Italian Fascism
The Italian Mafia's emergence coincided with the formation of the modern Italian state due to a blend of societal tumult, economic disparities, and political instability. The Italian Mafia developed as a power structure in a period marked by chaos and insufficient state authority, particularly in the Italian south, which suffered from the absence of comprehensive government presence and public services.
Post-WWI Italy, characterized by social turmoil and a communist movement that was influenced by the Bolshevik success in Russia, was fertile ground for entities that promised order and protection. Concerned about a potential communist uprising akin to Russia's and discontent with the unstable parliamentary democracy, Italians saw the rise of Fascism spearheaded by Benito Mussolini. Mussolini's regime, beginning in the 1920s, promised stability and nationalism in contrast to the fractious preceding decades, though it ultimately led to Mussolini's dictatorship and the suppression of opposition.
The conditions that allowed for the rise of the Mafia and Fascism were rooted in Italy's challenging unification process. Prior to the mid-nineteenth century, Italy was divided into various states, and unification efforts by figures like Cavour and Garibaldi led to significant centralization, but often at the expense of the southern regions. This fostered a sense of neglect and established the environment in which the Mafia could thrive as an alternate source of power and protection.