LU Nanquan

(№2,2011)

Abstract: During the Soviet period, the principal manifestation of corruption was abusing power for personal gains by the privileged class; offi cials made use of privileges to plunder social wealth, thereby making the Communist Party of the Soviet Union lose the people’s trust and agravating social contradictions. After Russia’s independence, corruption posed a biggest threat to the nation. Although Russia adopted a series of policies and some concrete measures against corruption, they produced very little effect. The main reasons are that Russia’s corruption had institutional, universal and legal features and Russians had a very high tolerance to corruption and Russia’s judicature became weakened and seriously corrupt.
Key words: privileged stratum in the Soviet Union; corruption in Russia; reason