Running a business in Russia is every bit as unsavory as you might imagine, according to Federico Varese's thoroughly researched look at that nation's organized (but not very organized) criminals. Even the lowliest shopkeeper faces shakedowns from drug addicts and teenage thugs, as well as bribe demands from tax collectors and police. In this chaotic climate, the protection racket thrives. Pay the right person, and not only will the shakedowns end - you might even gain a business partner and a fishing buddy. But the penalties for making the wrong move can be severe. One shopkeeper who refused to pay up was burned to death in his store. Varese offers an intricately detailed look at the realities of the Russian Mafia. His excellent reporting is undermined only by his frequently academic writing style. We recommend this guide to those who are doing business in Russia or who hope to. Caveat entrepreneur.
Author(s): Federico Varese
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Year: 2001
Language: English
Pages: 305
Contents......Page 10
List of Figures......Page 12
List of Tables......Page 13
List of Russian Abbreviations and Acronyms......Page 14
Introduction......Page 16
I.THE TRANSITION TO THE MARKET AND PROTECTION IN RUSSIA......Page 30
1.The Transition to the Market......Page 32
2.The State as Supplier of Protection......Page 52
3.Varieties of Protectors......Page 70
II.PRIVATE PROTECTION IN PERM......Page 88
4.Searching for Protection......Page 90
5.The Contract and the Services......Page 117
III.THE RUSSIAN MAFIA......Page 136
6.The Mafia in Perm......Page 138
7.Mafia Ancestors: The vory-v-zakone, 1920s–1950s......Page 160
8.The Russian Mafia......Page 182
Conclusion......Page 202
Appendix A: Aliases in the Soviet and Russian Underworld......Page 207
Appendix B: The Destination of the Soviet Elite in Perm......Page 217
List of Respondents and Interview Content......Page 221
Notes......Page 226
Bibliography......Page 273
A......Page 290
B......Page 291
C......Page 292
E......Page 294
H......Page 295
K......Page 296
L......Page 297
M......Page 298
P......Page 299
S......Page 301
T......Page 303
V......Page 304
Z......Page 305
