An evaluation of the persistence of blat in post-Soviet societies: A case Study of Ukraine's health services sector

The use of personal connections to gain preferential access to goods and services and to circumvent formal procedures exists in all countries to varying degrees. In this paper, the aim is to critically evaluate the continuing widespread positive depiction of this practice as a form of friendly help. Studyingthe health services sector in the city of Mykolayiv in Ukraine, this practice known as blat, which was widely used in Soviet societies to gain access to goods and services, is shown to persist in post-Soviet market societies, albeit transformed. Those possessing connections and access to health services now increasingly view such access-assets as commodities to sell rather than provide them as non-monetised friendly favours. The outcome is a call for Wat to be re-theorised more negatively as an exemplar of the darker side of social capital, and for a policy shift from doing nothing to seeking its eradication

Paying for Favours: Evaluating the Role of Blat in Post-Soviet Ukraine

To evaluate whether the illicit practice of using personal connections to acquire goods and services, or to circumvent formal procedures, known as blat in the Soviet era, persists in the post-Soviet world, 200 face-to-face interviews conducted in the city of Mykolayiv in Ukraine are reported. The finding is that personal networks are still commonly and widely used. However, unlike Soviet era blat which was non-monetized friendly help, control over access to assets and possessing personal connections to those controlling access to assets, has become a commodity bought and sold for illicit monetary payments. The paper concludes by discussing how this corrupt practice might be tackled. © 2013 © 2013 Taylor & Francis

Niedertemperaturverbindungstechnik Abschlussbericht

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