Corruption Practices in Homes for Children with Intellectual Disabilities and Neuropsychiatric Hospitals in the People's Republic of Bulgaria during the 1940s ‒ 1970s
Corruption Practices in Homes for Children with Intellectual Disabilities and Neuropsychiatric Hospitals in the People's Republic of Bulgaria during the 1940s ‒ 1970s

Summary/Abstract: This article seeks to trace the 'hierarchical' interconnections of corruption across three levels ‒ institution, society, and the state ‒ through an examination of institu-tions for mentally disabled children and the neuropsychiatric hospitals in the People's Republic of Bulgaria. The article focuses on several micro-historical cases between 1940s and 1970s, where we find clear direct and indirect evidence of financial and material abuses, even though inspecting authorities did not make any formal accusa-tions in the courts in any of these cases. Seeing the institutions as part of the so-called "personal network society”, whilst taking into account the objective realities of the era (e.g. personnel shortages, a "shortage economy"), the article theorizes a "paternal-istic form" of corruption, which is essential to all hierarchical levels. The analysis draws on documents from care homes and neuropsychiatric hospitals located in state archives in Sofia and other regions, as well as the archives of the Ministry of People’s Health and Social Welfare.

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