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Vladimir Soloviev - Empire of Corruption: The Russian National Pastime

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Book:
Empire of Corruption: The Russian National Pastime
Author:
Vladimir Soloviev
Publisher:
Glagoslav Publications
Genre:
Books / Politics
Year:
2014
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Empire Empire of Corruption

The territory of the Russian national pastime

Vladimir Soloviev

Glagoslav Publications

E mpire of Corruption

The territory of the Russian national pastime

by Vladimir Soloviev

First published in Russian as " . "

Translated from the Russian by Matthew Hyde

2012, Vladimir Soloviev

2014, Glagoslav Publications, United Kingdom

Glagoslav Publications Ltd

88-90 Hatton Garden

EC1N 8PN London

United Kingdom

www.glagoslav.com

ISBN: 978-1-78267-073-5 (EPUB)

ISBN: 978-1-78267-074-2 (MOBI)

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. This book is in copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

C orruption spoiling, putrefaction, collapse, decay, decline, depravity, perversion.

Anglo-Russian Dictionary of General Vocabulary

Foreword

T he fight against corruption is Russias national sport. Everyone is fighting corruption. But judging by the fact that every new leader identifies this as one of his main goals, corruption inevitably wins. Why? Is it some sort of awful ailment, which, despite all our efforts, it is impossible to cure. Or maybe we are trying to fight something which is not, in the broadly accepted sense, corruption at all, but something altogether different. Meaning that all our efforts are always doomed to failure.

As soon as Dmitry Medvedev became president, he set up two Commissions. The first was aimed at improving the operation of the justice system, the second was tasked with the fight against corruption. All of the leading experts were summoned. Several years passed, and, as I understand it, the fight against corruption still remains one of the main goals of the government even if a lot has been achieved in the field. Government officials have been obliged to complete income declarations which are then publically discussed, a number of generals were dismissed for providing inaccurate information in their declarations, and one of them was even subject to legal proceedings. However, there was no breakthrough in the public consciousness.

I have to say that when I hear discussions about corruption, they always seem to be closer to literature, rather than the law. People quote Karamzin, who wrote that theft was commonplace in Russia, and always will be. They recall Saltykov-Shchedrin with a gesture of resignation and a sad smile, and continue to thieve. One cant help being skeptical when one hears the latest summons to fight corruption, its a bit like hearing that the bees have started to fight against honey. In the last few years at least work in the government structures has become desirable because of the high income and of course that income is unofficial. Would this be possible without corruption? Thats a rhetorical question of course. Asides from everything else, Russias rating as a country to do business with is offensively low, and Russia maintains a stubbornly high position in the lists of countries which are dominated by corruption.

Everyone talks about corruption. But there are several fundamental misunderstandings at work. The main one is that when a policeman, or a traffic policeman, or a doctor, or a teacher, or a journalist take bribes, then they are all corrupt. But then what we see at the next level up we dont perceive as corruption heaven forbid! but administrative rent-seeking. It seems that we see those people sitting in the higher positions not as thieves, bribe-takers or criminals, but rentiers, who are just making the most out of their positions. From time to time, the public bridles, clutches its head and cries that this is too much, it cant go on, and then some sort of reaction against corruption begins. The government opens its eyes, turns its attention to the activities of Moscow city government under Mayor Luzhkov, recoils in shock and, after performing a series of complex ritual dances, dismisses Luzhkov. A number of Moscow district heads end up either in prison or under investigation. But, unfortunately, the larger system stays the same.

In this book we will certainly try to provide concrete examples of corruption, and descriptions of the corruption which pervades various state corporations, local government institutions, ministries and government departments. But most importantly, we will try to understand the woe which has befallen our country, and why we cant seem to be rid of it.

Chapter 1

L ets imagine for a moment that there is no corruption in the country. None at all. You go to the hospital for treatment, and it is completely free of corruption. So the nurses dont tidy up after the patients youre welcome to clean the floors, take out the bedpans or change the sheets yourself if you want. And there is no medicine either. The next state allocation is due in three months bad luck if the patient dies before then. An ambulance comes to pick up the elderly man, but the ambulance service isnt corrupt, so it leaves him where he is. Or it takes him to the closest hospital so what if that one is no good, at least its not corrupt.

The traffic police stop you, and theyre also free from corruption. Which means that they have plenty of time on their hands. Plenty of time to carry out checks on you. Youre pretty sure you havent broken any laws, but they carry out check after check all without any sign of corruption. The inspector has the right to check you, after all. Who knows, you might look suspicious, or a car the same colour and make as yours may have been reported stolen. The policeman has the whole working day ahead of him, its no bother to him. Youre the one with things to do, in a hurry to get somewhere. Maybe he suspects youve been drinking. Just a hunch, he could be mistaken, but its only going to be proven for sure at the clinic - so off you go and give a sample. What do you mean you dont have the time? Surely you have a couple of hours set aside for just this kind of eventuality? Were very sorry, they say, but were not corrupt, so please go calmly on your way.

Its wonderful that there is no corruption in the country. So your son or daughter cant get into university? They did well at school, but theyre not from the region where everyone got 100% in their secondary school exams just for having pretty eyes, and theyre not disabled. How are you going to explain that to them? Look, dear, lifes just not fair? Maybe.

Or you need some sort of document, like a certificate or statement. So you have to pass through the seven circles of hell to get it, and there are queues everywhere all corruption-free. So everything takes so agonisingly long. Of course, you can make a fuss, and the newspapers will write about it. Of course, in our system anyone can be arrested and sent to prison. But what next?

Just dont try and tell me that all the officials, nurses, doctors and traffic police should be honest. They are honest -they dont take your money. But faced with your indignation, they will ask whether you would be prepared to come and work on their salaries which, it turns out, are pretty small. Of course, you could ask them why they agreed to work for so little money in the first place. And it would be a perfectly reasonable question just that there is no answer. Just like there is no one to help you. And no one will give you the document you need. And the nurse doesnt clean the hospital floors. But then you wouldnt go and work in her place.

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