A. Rogachevskii - Böcker

For several centuries, the Russians have been famous (or notorious) for the number of transactions they conduct through unofficial channels. This text, an attempt to explain and analyze Russian society's heavy reliance on unofficial "give and take", focuses especially on two key practices: bribery (the use of public office for private gain) and "blat" (the informal exchange of favours). It brings together specialists from a wide range of disciplines (history, literary and cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, psychology, politics).