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Alena V. Ledeneva
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Russia's Economy of Favours: Blat, Networking and Informal Exchange: 102 (Cambridge Russian, Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies, Series Number 102) Hardcover – 6 Aug. 1998

by Alena V. Ledeneva (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 7 ratings
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The word blat refers to the system of informal contacts and personal networks which was used to obtain goods and services under the rationing which characterised Soviet Russia. Alena Ledeneva's book is the first to analyse blat in all its historical, socio-economic and cultural aspects, and to explore its implications for post-Soviet society. In a socialist distribution system which resulted in constant shortages, blat developed into an 'economy of favours' which shadowed an overcontrolling centre and represented the reaction of ordinary people to the social constraints they faced. In social and economic terms, blat exchanges became vital to the population, and to the functioning of the Soviet system. The book shows that the nature of the economic and political changes in contemporary Russia cannot be properly understood without attention to the powerful legacy of the blat economy.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0521621747
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0521621748
  3. Publisher
    Cambridge University Press
  4. Publication date
    6 Aug. 1998
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    15.88 x 2.54 x 24.13 cm
  7. Print length
    256 pages
  8. See all details
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Product description

Review

'Russia's Economy of Favours provides fascinating insights into an important and neglected aspect of Soviet/Russian society. Anthropologists, sociologists, and historians will all benefit from this vivid and informed study, based on interview data from the early 1990s, of Russian networking practices. This work by a young Russian scholar is a fine example of an emerging post-Soviet Russian scholarship that combines theoretical sophistication with a solid empirical base and a native 'feel' for the situation.' Sheila Fitzpatrick, University of Chicago

'In a most felicitous fashion this book weds analytical sophistication to the initimate, inside knowledge and 'feel' of Russian realities. Whether a seasoned expert in Russian history and culture or just a person interested in unfamiliar yet fascinating ways of life, the reader will be richly rewarded by a much deeper understanding of how Soviet and post-Soviet society, worked and goes on working, and what the experience of living in that society feels like.' Zygmunt Bauman, University of Leeds

Book Description

This book examines the little-known phenomenon of blat - the use of informal contacts and personal networks to obtain goods and services under the rationing which pervaded Soviet Russia.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cambridge University Press (6 Aug. 1998)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0521621747
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0521621748
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.88 x 2.54 x 24.13 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 7 ratings

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Alena V. Ledeneva

Alena V. Ledeneva

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3.9 out of 5 stars
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  • Mr Carneiro
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on 26 July 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent book. A must for all who seek to understand Russia's dark economy. Excellent seller, I highly recommend!
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  • P. Bell
    3.0 out of 5 stars Hard to read
    Reviewed in the United States on 23 June 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This book is hard to read not for its content but for its writer's style. The flow is nonexistent. Interesting premise but hard to pick up. It's like all the information is placed on the page without discussion.
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  • Lia Todua
    1.0 out of 5 stars lots of ighlights
    Reviewed in the United States on 19 October 2021
    Verified Purchase
    There were lots of highlights in he book made by a previous readers. Difficult to read
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