“As described in the Book of Mormon, the formation of trade networks for the accumulation of wealth was also accompanied by the rise of violent groups such as the Gadianton Robbers who sought control for personal gain. The Gadianton Society was a far more powerful and complex group than their description as robbers implies. They often commanded huge armies capable of defying the armed forces of both the Nephite and Lamanite nations. … The motivation of the Gadiantons was primarily economic and tied to the newfound wealth flowing into Nephite society through international trade. They therefore operated both among the Nephites and the Lamanite kingdoms” (Christenson, “Nephite Trade Networks and the Dangers of a Class Society,” 236).