Padalka S. Bribery in the Right-Bank Ukraine: socio-historical background, peculiarities and means of counteraction (second half of the XIX - the beginning of the XX century)

The dissertation is one of the first special studies devoted to the elucidation of the socio-historical preconditions of distribution, as well as the peculiarities and means of combating bribery in the Right-Bank Ukraine. On the basis of the analysis of archival materials, published sources and relevant literature, changes were made in the preconditions for the spread of abuses of bribery, in particular, the deepening of the process of concentration of political and economic power, the revival of the tradition of "stolonaldry" in management, the exacerbation of social contradictions. The Ukrainian public's attitude towards bribery remained two-sided. While bribery was highly prevalent, a high level of condemnation of this phenomenon was still maintained. The author has established that bribery was fueled by numerous permissions and licenses, which, moreover, were in quite a few cases economically inadvisable. The procedures for business registration (including registration as a taxpayer) were complicated. The government's attempts to control certain types of business activities also fueled bribery and effectively were only used to extort bribes. The peculiarities of manifestations of basic types of bribery in the industry in transport, in the countryside, and in the social sphere are investigated. A number of circumstances of formation of the public perception about bribe-taker and bribery were studied. The study has confirmed that bribery in law enforcement agencies and judiciary had specific manifestations concerning the permit system, concealment of local officials crimes, the conduct of investigation, etc. Changes in the methods of formation of public intolerance to bribery and bribe-makers on the Right Bank of Ukraine are considered. The administrative and legal tools and public means of counteracting the social phenomenon are found out. The author has proved that during the years studied, intellectual resources were created at the public level which had a mostly positive effect on preventing the spread of bribery. The role of satire and propaganda in preventing its spread is analyzed. The negative socio - economic role of bribery in the artistic and scientific literature is shown.