In Moscow's Shadows 145: How Corruption Works Under Putin
May 5, 2024
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The podcast delves into how corruption under Putin's regime serves as a reward and control mechanism; it explores historical roots of corruption in Russia and contrasts practices under Putin. It also discusses strategies of control within investigative agencies, the intricate dynamics of corruption in elite circles, and the impact on Russian construction projects. Additionally, it examines the rise of Dimitri Shalkov and challenges to corruption loyalty in Putin's regime.
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Quick takeaways
Corruption under Putin serves as a reward system for loyalists, enabling a luxurious lifestyle beyond official salaries.
Corruption is a tool of control in Putin's regime, manipulating individuals through compromising material and ensuring weak leadership.
Participating in corrupt practices in Russia signifies allegiance to a subculture, creating a system reliant on compromised insiders for stability.
Deep dives
Corruption as a Reward System in Putin's System
Corruption serves as a key part of Putin's system in three specific ways. Firstly, it acts as a reward system where loyalty and following the system's rules lead to a luxurious lifestyle beyond one's salary, demonstrating a kleptocracy by design. Secondly, historically, corruption was a way for officials to supplement low salaries, becoming deeply ingrained in Russian bureaucracy, ultimately inefficient. Finally, corruption fosters a sense of exclusivity and initiation into an insider group, ensuring compliance and participation.
Corruption as a Control System in Putin's Regime
Corruption also functions as a means of control within Putin's regime. By having compromising material on everyone, the state can manipulate and selectively target individuals when necessary. This control extends to key investigative agencies and officials, like the FSB, ensuring weak leadership that requires political approval for major investigations, maintaining vulnerability and dependence on the Kremlin.
Corruption as a Social System in Russia
Furthermore, corruption operates as a social system in Russia, where by participating in corrupt practices, individuals pledge allegiance to a subculture and demonstrate willingness to abide by its rules. Those who diverge risk being labeled outsiders or threats to the system, creating a structure that relies on compromised insiders for stability and continuation.
Implications of Timur Ivanov's Case
The arrest of Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov sheds light on the inner workings of corruption and power dynamics within Putin's system. Ivanov's case, charged with receiving a large bribe, reflects possible breaches of established corrupt norms, leading to his sacrificial prosecution. The trial not only exposes corruption within defense contracts but also hints at potential shifts in power dynamics within the Russian elite, possibly signaling the beginning of a campaign against key figures like Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu.
Potential Shakeup in Russian Defense Leadership
The podcast speculates on potential changes in Russia's defense leadership, suggesting candidates to replace Shoygu and the implications of such transitions. From Viktor Zolotov's unpopularity to Alexei Duman's competency and rising profile, and Dmitry Shalkov's role as a corruption watchdog, the discussion highlights the intricate power plays and rivalries within Putin's system, shaping the future of Russia's defense structure.
Conclusion and Future Prospects
The episode concludes by evaluating the possible scenarios that may unfold post-Ivanov's case, including implications for Shoygu's position, government reshuffles, and the broader dynamics of corruption and power struggles in Russia. Whether Ivanov's trial leads to systemic changes or serves as a cautionary tale for elites, the episode underscores the complex interplay of corruption, control, and social dynamics at play in Putin's political landscape.
The case of Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov, long known as 'king of the kickback,' but only now arrested and charged, provides a good opportunity to consider how corruption is so central to Putin's system, not simply as a reward mechanism to pay off the loyal, but also as a control mechanism and even a social one.
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