At this point we need to do a little historical dissecting of Mormon’s information so that we may more clearly understand what he is telling us. The necessary background is that the Gadiantons are in power in the land of Zarahemla. Secondly, even though there were believers in Nephi after the great manifestations, they still did not become the majority. The Gadiantons remained in power, retained the “voice of the people,” and most of all, retained their desire to transform Nephite society into something different from what it was. All of this tells us that the violence was not simply directed against sitting chief judges, but in general against the gospel-believing Nephites.
This is a civil war, with the Gadianton philosophy on the one hand and the traditional Nephite gospel on the other. The civil war has erupted out of long-standing differences, and with the shift in the statistical majority of people to favor the changes, the violence not only turns against the people of the gospel, but begins to succeed against them.
What is important for Mormon is that we associate the name Gadianton with this movement. Regardless of its origin, for Mormon it is entitled “Gadianton.” Even though this particular reign of Gadiantons has no discernible connection to the small band of Gadiantons from Nephi’s father’s day, nevertheless for Mormon it is important to see them as a continuation. For Mormon, the enemy is no longer called Nephite. It is called Gadianton. It is no longer in some other city. It is within the heart of Nephite lands.