From Local Cliques to Mafia State
From Local Cliques to Mafia State

The Evolution of Network Corruption Post-communist

Author(s): Dávid Jancsics
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Social history, Recent History (1900 till today)
Published by: Central European University Press
Keywords: corruption;Network culture;Brokers;institutionalized crime;Orbán family;
Summary/Abstract: Network culture and related informal institutions are widespread phenomena in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The network character suggests that not only two but many interconnected actors participate in informal exchanges and circulate different forms of resources through this widespread social infrastructure. Under the communist shortage economy,informal networks were important survival tools for everyday citizens to“get things done.” The relationship structure of family members, friends,acquaintances, ex-classmates, colleagues, and neighbors provided effective channels to obtain different forms of resources, from travel vouchers through home phones and cars to university admissions. Of course, these types of informal networks existed and still exist all around the world but in communist CEE countries they were more widespread compared to their Western counterparts.

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