Angol
Bribery and blat (the informal exchange of favours) have long been recognized as ubiquitous in Russia, serving up rich anecdotal material for generations of historians and political commentators. Yet these practices are much more than aberrant background phenomena. Confronted by a traditionally undemocratic, patrimonial-style state, denied free and open participation in market activity, inadequately protected by the law, Russians have always had to find unofficial ways of obtaining goods, services and other benefits. But although informal exchange has generally been an accepted part of Russian society, it has never been a wholly unproblematic one - as the long history of campaigns against 'corruption' amply demonstrates. Reciprocity is thus an important and highly contested informal institution which offers rich insights into Russia's social and cultural history. This book, the first sustained attempt to explain and analyse Russian society's heavy reliance on unofficial 'give-and-take', brings together specialists from a wide range of disciplines (history, literary and cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, psychology, politics).
