Corruption in State Service

Abstract

The article considers the corruption in modern Russia. The paper is based on the sociological study conducted in May – July 2013 and involved a survey of public servants. Public servants played a role of experts to give an internal assessment of the corruption. The purpose was to build a generalized portrait of a Russian corruptionist and to define the main characteristics. A group of the potential corrupt was singled out based on the motives to enter public service. To achieve the goals set, the author gives analysis of different evaluations of the level of corruption by different expert groups, its typical forms and factors, and the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures. A corrupt official can be portrayed in the following way. The share of the corrupt officials makes up the minority: less than 25%. They are mainly men aged 30-49; most of them are lawyers whose work experience in the public sector is not very big (3 - 5 years). He is really focused on the model of “life success” implemented in Russia during the last quarter-century; this model implies gaining profit by any means, enrichment at any cost, pure consumerism, cynicism, and hypocrisy. The greatest concern of the corrupt official is the collapse of the existing system of lowest quality personnel selection where good-for-nothing persons are appointed for the top positions. The moral decay of the modern Russian society lies in the basis of the prospering corruption. To combat corruption a negative public attitude towards corrupt practices should be encouraged, and traditional moral values should be recovered nationwide.