Popova  A.D.

ECONOMIC CRIMES IN THE 1950S AS A REFLECTION OF DAILY LIFE IN THE SOVIET UNION

Authors

Popova A.D.

Keywords:

economic crimes, command economy, embezzlement, mentality, deficit

Abstract

The article treats financial crimes committed in the 1950s as a reflection of the economic crisis experienced by the Soviet economy. The author analyzes documents of the Ministry of Internal Affairs which deal with some cases of embezzlement in a number of Soviet cities and towns. The documents focus on strategies used to unravel embezzlement schemes (official reports, operational reviews). The article maintains that financial crimes committed during the analyzed period were a perfect reflection of the crisis experienced by the Soviet Union. The analysis of historical documents enables the author to single out a number of schemes used to commit financial crimes in the context of command economy: overpricing, violation of technology in order to skimp on raw materials, use of fake invoices to profit through fictitious trading. The article maintains that these financial crimes typical of the Soviet Union exerted considerable influence on Soviet people’s mental attitudes by making people believe that embezzlement was a routine undertaking which didn’t violate social norms.

ECONOMIC CRIMES IN THE 1950S AS A REFLECTION OF DAILY LIFE IN THE SOVIET UNION