Sardinian banditry arose in the harsh and difficult context of the Barbagia region. Its logic has always been dictated by relationships among various villages, often small and distant from one another, nestled in the valleys between mountains. They almost seem to be international law, highly complex, layered, and rooted in intense and deeply felt family identities, so much so that families themselves are referred to as nassones, literally "nations." It is not simply a mechanism of pure revenge, but is based on very specific rules, those of the Barbagia Code of Revenge—first scientifically analysed by university professor Antonio Pigliaru in 1957—which contains concepts according to which homines must demonstrate themselves as balentes (worthy of respect and strength) in the face of apprettu (need and difficulty).

The Barbagia Code outlined a true lifestyle, designed to survive the hardships of a pastoral life, constantly on the move and in danger. This is precisely why the life of the bandit, of the man who never gives up in the face of hardship and indignities, created such a fascination in the minds of Sardinians. This shared fascination and support for banditry in Sardinian society suffered its first serious blows from Fascism, which could not tolerate the idea of ​​men operating outside the law. The organisation of major operations to combat bandits and their way of life continued well into the early Republican era, as evidenced by the work Bandits in Orgosolo, published in 1975 by the anthropologist Franco Cagnetta. It contains testimonies of the constant accusations against bandits' families and the summary arrests carried out by the Carabinieri, with all the consequences for any dependent children and wives.

All this occurred in a national context, stunned by the increase in kidnappings, where extreme proposals were being discussed, such as the use of gas and flamethrowers in the villages further inland in Barbagia, where the symptoms of family feuds and banditry were strongest, such as Orgosolo. This sparked discussions in Parliament and speeches of great social and humanitarian value from renowned Sardinian parliamentarians Emilio Lussu and Velio Spano. The war on banditry and kidnappings was waged through the use of heavy means, such as the aforementioned summary arrests and the establishment of several regiments of Blue Berets, specifically designed for anti-banditry purposes, in the municipality of Abbasanta.