Book of the week: the rise of the Russian mob
Book review: The VoryAn overview of the Russian mafia that couldn't be timelier.
The Vory: Russia's Super Mafia
by Mark GaleottiYale University Press, £20(Buy at Amazon)
Some apologists for the Russian government have claimed that the recent chemical attack on a former spy in Salisbury might have been carried out by a mobster looking to curry favour with President Vladimir Putin, rather than directly by Russian agents. Even in the unlikely event that this is true, this new book by Mark Galeotti makes a convincing case that the two are so closely intertwined that it doesn't make much difference.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
For hundreds of years, the Russian government viewed organised crime as something between a minor irritant and a useful partner, rather than something to destroy. During the age of the Tsars, the low levels of police spending meant the police were focused on maintaining public order, rather than catching criminals, allowing gangs to flourish. By the time the Russian revolution came around, the underworld was so powerful that leading Bolsheviks, most notably Stalin, partnered with them to raise funds for the struggle. Later, when Stalin started sending millions of people to labour camps, the sheer number of people imprisoned meant that effective control of many gulags was delegated to those criminals willing to collaborate, even though some crooks saw this as breaking the "thieves' code".
The power of the Russian mob reached its peak during the 1990s. Having controlled the emerging black market during the waning communist years, they were ready to step into the vacuum created by the end of the Soviet Union. The result was a decade of murders, turf wars and near anarchy. While Putin's accession restored an element of control, his focus was on those criminals whose behaviour directly challenged the state.
This is an academic work, primarily aimed at those studying Russian history and politics. Those after a McMafia-style page turner, or salacious accounts of the goings-on at the Kremlin, will be disappointed. You could say that at certain points Galeotti provides too much detail, and the stories about the rise of various Russian gangsters tend to get a little repetitive. The material dealing with the current relationship between the Russian state and organised crime, which will be what most people are interested in, accounts for only around a fifth of the book.
Still, those who want to learn about the origins of organised crime in Russia, and how it has affected the country's politics and economic development, will find a wealth of material. With the West reassessing its decisions to allow Russian oligarchs many of whom made money by less than honest means free rein in its capital cities, this book could not be timelier.
Sign up to Money Morning
Our team, led by award winning editors, is dedicated to delivering you the top news, analysis, and guides to help you manage your money, grow your investments and build wealth.
Matthew graduated from the University of Durham in 2004; he then gained an MSc, followed by a PhD at the London School of Economics.
He has previously written for a wide range of publications, including the Guardian and the Economist, and also helped to run a newsletter on terrorism. He has spent time at Lehman Brothers, Citigroup and the consultancy Lombard Street Research.
Matthew is the author of Superinvestors: Lessons from the greatest investors in history, published by Harriman House, which has been translated into several languages. His second book, Investing Explained: The Accessible Guide to Building an Investment Portfolio, is published by Kogan Page.
As senior writer, he writes the shares and politics & economics pages, as well as weekly Blowing It and Great Frauds in History columns He also writes a fortnightly reviews page and trading tips, as well as regular cover stories and multi-page investment focus features.
Follow Matthew on Twitter: @DrMatthewPartri
-
Do you qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment if you live abroad?
The Winter Fuel Payment will be means tested for expats living in Europe, in line with the new rules impacting those in the UK. But a quirk in the system means not all countries are eligible.
By Katie Williams Published
-
What the Employment Rights Bill means for your job
New workplace reforms are set to give employees new rights to benefits and flexible working
By Marc Shoffman Published