nations in the world, ranked below countries like Nigeria and Iran. To address the issue,

Russian leaders have laid out national anti-corruption plans, but so far they’ve had varied amounts

of success. So how corrupt is Russia?

Well, several experts have pointed to corruption in Russia as being embedded in its history

and culture. Bribery has been seen as a common occurrence even for high ranking officials.

This cultural normalization of bribery may have begun around the 16th century when state

officials were often not given a salary, and instead encouraged to take gifts of food and

favors from their constituents. These gifts were necessary when the princes of Russia

didn’t have much money to pay the officials.

One economist says that Russian corruption “has become a business." Today, bribery

is so rampant that the country’s economy is heavily dependent on the flow of illegitimate

funds. One reporter for the Associated Press explained that it took her a year to obtain

a driver’s license because she refused to pay any bribes. In 2007, the World Bank estimated

that Russia’s shadow economy accounted for nearly half of national GDP. And a Russian

Finance Minister recently alleged that the state loses $90 billion dollars in taxes because

businesses hide large portions of their profits.

Russia’s Leader Vladimir Putin has made a big show of trying to root out corruption.

But after being in office for 15 years, many have said that the government is primarily

an oligarchy, run by Putin’s closest friends and relatives. These elite members of the

government are extremely wealthy, and immune from prosecution because Putin needs their

support. Russian politicians also wield a great deal of influence over the Russian judiciary

system, which, as the UN observes, adversely affects its independence.

Critics in the media also have their voices completely stifled by the state. Russia does

not have free press, and most of the media is owned by the government. Any other press

is forced to censor themselves or else face heavy fines and threats of imprisonment. One

outspoken former presidential hopeful has been alternately imprisoned and put under

house arrest for more than a year. For a long time he was even banned from using the internet

and the telephone.

Even with anti-corruption laws, Russian graft is out of control. Russia ranks 136th out

of 175 countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index. And Russia also ranks last for bribery

out of all the G20 countries.

Current anti-corruption plans were first introduced in 2008, and they’ve been renewed by Putin

over the years. These plans mandate that government officials report their incomes, and any conflicts

of interest between government and business. But most guilty officials still go unpunished.

With Russia’s government resembling an oligarchy, and their distinct lack of free press or independent

judiciary, nationwide corruption will undoubtedly continue, despite Vladimir Putin’s promises.

Russia remains a powerful country on the world stage, often butting heads with the U.S. and

other Western countries. To learn just how dangerous they really are, check out this

video from our friends at All-Time Conspiracies. Thanks for watching us today on TestTube!

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