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> but it's still just as corrupt as it's been since the collapse of Soviet Union In the Soviet Union you not only bribed police, but the grocer, the mail man,
by dlokshin 14y ago
> but it's still just as corrupt as it's been since the collapse of Soviet Union
In the Soviet Union you not only bribed police, but the grocer, the mail man, your child's principal, and the list goes on.
- coldtea 14y agoActually, in Soviet Union you did not have any reason to bribe any of them.
- rtkwe 14y ago> Actually, in Soviet Union you did not have any money to bribe any of them. Fixed.
- networked 14y agoThat's not right at all. The people of the Soviet Union had the money through most of the country's history; however, they often couldn't easily exchange that money for useful, quality goods like food, kitchenware, furniture or cars [1] without the proper connections and bribery. Bribes were often (perhaps mostly) not payed in money, either. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_ruble#Economic_role https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_ruble#Economic_role https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortage_economy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortage_economy https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Товарный_дефицит_в_СССР https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Товарный_дефицит_в_СССР (http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fru.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2F%D0%A2%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B9_%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%84%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%82_%D0%B2_%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A0 http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js...) [1] As opposed to less useful goods like political books with titles along the lines of "The Proceedings of the Nth Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union", which were plenty, and which you sometimes had to buy by the dozen in order for the salesperson to agree to sell you a few more desirable books.
- rtkwe 14y agoInteresting. I will admit I was going shamelessly for a laugh there.
- gdy 14y agoWhy on earth would anyone bribe a mailman?
- jacquesm 14y agoSo you get your mail and your packages in one piece, unopened and on time?
- shn 14y ago-:) (Not to knock twice ?)
- huhtenberg 14y agoPsst, younglings. He's referring to this - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Postman_Always_Rings_Twice_%281981_film%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Postman_Always_Rings_Twice_...
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]
- adamjernst 14y agoI mailed a package to Russia about 5 years ago. Recipient had to pay a bribe to get it.
- gdy 14y agoHe probably just wanted to avoid paying customs duty.
- Pkeod 14y agoSo they don't steal your mail?
- sheri 14y agoIn India postmen also can gauge the contents of the letter or document. For example, they can recognize US college acceptance letters for students trying for further studies. Many of them will then ask for gifts for delivering the good news.
- revelation 14y agoThey still bribe principals and teachers. It's expected you give gifts.
- Nichijo 14y agoWe used to bring apples to school for the teacher in America, but never thought of it as a bribe.
- shrikant 14y agoSo just like India now, got it.
- gdy 14y agoRussian here. That's probably just what you or your family did because my parents didn't have any need to bribe people on your list.