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Fartsovka
''Fartsovka'' (Russian: фарцовка) is a slang term for the black market profiteering, illegal in the Soviet Union, that consisted in resale of goods manufactured abroad, which were hard to find and inaccessible to an average Soviet citizen. Clothing and fashion accessories were the overwhelming majority of supply and demand for ''fartsovka''. Also popular were audio media (vinyl records, cassette tapes, and reels), cosmetics, household items, and books. ''Fartsovka'' items, or the phenomenon itself, was generally called ''fartsa''. The traders of this type were called ''fartsovshchiki''. Etymology The exact origin of the term ''fartsovka'' is uncertain, but one account suggests that it was derived from an archaic word from the Odessa dialect of Russian, "forets" (форец): a man who bought cheap items and sold them at dishonestly expensive prices. Description There were two main sources of purchase of ''fartsa'': from foreigners visiting the Soviet Union, and from co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beryozka (Russian Retail Store)
Beryozka or Beriozka ( Russian: , lit. ''"little birch"'') was the common name of two chains of state-run retail stores in the Soviet Union that sold goods in exchange for foreign currency. Beriozkas sold luxury goods such as chocolate and caviar that were often unavailable or unaffordable in traditional Soviet markets and shops. Beryozka stores existed between 1964 and 1990, up to the point of the Soviet Union dissolution. Background From 1921 until 1927 during the New Economic Policy trading of foreign currency in Soviet Union was legal. In 1927 however it became illegal to possess and trade foreign currencies (unless specified by the law otherwise) with a punishment up to six month of imprisonment. Businessmen that were often referred as NEPmen during this period of time were banned from using it in everyday commerce. As result of this policy it became necessary to have places where goods could be purchased for foreign currency. The money were usually spent by worker ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gombeen Man
"Gombeen man" is a Hiberno-English term used in Ireland for a shady, small-time "wheeler-dealer" businessman who is always looking to make a quick and shady profit, often at someone else's expense or, in the case of politicians, through the acceptance or demanding of bribes. Its origin is the Irish language word "''gaimbín''", meaning monetary interest or usury. Cultural significance The despised image of the gombeen as an usurious predator on the poor was immortalized in the poem "The Gombeen Man" by Irish poet Joseph Campbell: While the phrase "gombeen man" is traditionally intended to refer to an unscrupulous and petty-tyrannical Irish Catholic who exploits his own people, it can be applied in relation to other groups such as, in this instance from James Joyce, to an Irish Jewish man: Crime writer Kyril Bonfiglioli wrote a dark short story called "The Gombeen Man" about just such a character in the late '70s. This excerpt is from '' The Crock of Gold,'' by James Step ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spiv
A spiv is a petty criminal in the United Kingdom who deals in illicit, typically black market, goods. Spivs were particularly active during the Second World War and in the post-war period when many goods were rationed due to shortages. According to Peter Wollen, "the crucial difference between the spiv and the classic Hollywood gangster was the degree of sympathy the spiv gained as an intermediary in the transfer of black market goods to ... a grateful mass of consumers."Peter Wollen (2002) ''Paris Hollywood - Writings on Film'' pp185–6 Origins The origin of the word is obscure. "Spiv" was the nickname of Henry Bagster, an early 1900s small-time London crook who was frequently arrested for illegal street trading and confidence tricks. National newspapers reported his court appearances between 1903 and 1906 and his nickname from 1904. The term spiv first appeared in print in a non-fiction crime paperback (C. G. Gordon's ''Crooks of Underworld'') in a horseracing context in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Russian Language
Russian is an East Slavic languages, East Slavic language belonging to the Balto-Slavic languages, Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family. It is one of the four extant East Slavic languages, and is the native language of the Russians. It was the ''de facto'' and ''de jure'' De facto#National languages, official language of the former Soviet Union.1977 Soviet Constitution, Constitution and Fundamental Law of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, 1977: Section II, Chapter 6, Article 36 Russian has remained an official language of the Russia, Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, and is still commonly used as a lingua franca in Ukraine, Moldova, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and to a lesser extent in the Baltic states and Russian language in Israel, Israel. Russian has over 253 million total speakers worldwide. It is the List of languages by number of speakers in Europe, most spoken native language in Eur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Market
A black market is a Secrecy, clandestine Market (economics), market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality, or is not compliant with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the set of goods and services whose production and distribution are prohibited or restricted by law, non-compliance with the rule constitutes a black-market trade since the transaction itself is illegal. Such transactions include the illegal drug trade, prostitution (where prohibited), illegal currency transactions, and human trafficking. Participants try to hide their illegal behavior from the government or regulatory authority. Cash is the preferred medium of exchange in illegal transactions, since cash transactions are less easily traced. Common motives for operating in black markets are to trade contraband, avoid taxes and regulations, or evade price controls or rationing. Typically, the totality of such activity is referred to with the definite article, e.g., "''the' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Profiteering
Profiteering is a pejorative term for the act of making a profit by methods considered unethical. Overview Business owners may be accused of profiteering when they raise prices during an emergency ( especially a war). The term is also applied to businesses that play on political corruption to obtain government contracts. Some types of profiteering are illegal, such as price fixing syndicates, for example on fuel subsidies (see '' British Airways price-fixing allegations''), and other anti-competitive behaviour. Some are restricted by industry codes of conduct, e.g. aggressive marketing of products in the Third World such as baby milk (see '' Nestlé boycott''). Types of profiteering *Price fixing *Price gouging *War profiteering Laws Profiteering is illegal in several countries, including but not limited to: *UK: Chapter 1 of the Competition Act 1998 *Germany§ 291 StGB(Criminal Code) – up to 10 years' jail maximum penalty *Austria§ 154 StGB– up to 5 years' jail maximum p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet Union, it dissolved in 1991. During its existence, it was the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country by area, extending across Time in Russia, eleven time zones and sharing Geography of the Soviet Union#Borders and neighbors, borders with twelve countries, and the List of countries and dependencies by population, third-most populous country. An overall successor to the Russian Empire, it was nominally organized as a federal union of Republics of the Soviet Union, national republics, the largest and most populous of which was the Russian SFSR. In practice, Government of the Soviet Union, its government and Economy of the Soviet Union, economy were Soviet-type economic planning, highly centralized. As a one-party state go ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Goods
In economics, goods are anything that is good, usually in the sense that it provides welfare or utility to someone. Alan V. Deardorff, 2006. ''Terms Of Trade: Glossary of International Economics'', World Scientific. Online version: Deardorffs' Glossary of International Economics"good" an Goods can be contrasted with bads, i.e. things that provide negative value for users, like chores or waste. A bad lowers a consumer's overall welfare. Economics focuses on the study of economic goods, i.e. goods that are scarce; in other words, producing the good requires expending effort or resources. Economic goods contrast with free goods such as air, for which there is an unlimited supply.Samuelson, P. Anthony., Samuelson, W. (1980). Economics. 11th ed. / New York: McGraw-Hill. Goods are the result of the Secondary sector of the economy which involves the transformation of raw materials or intermediate goods into goods. Utility and characteristics of goods The change in utility (pl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Odessa
ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-plans made at the end of World War II by a group of ''SS'' officers with the aim of facilitating secret escape routes, and any directly ensuing arrangements. The concept of the existence of an actual ODESSA organisation has circulated widely in fictional Spy fiction, spy novels and movies, including Frederick Forsyth's best-selling 1972 thriller ''The Odessa File''. The escape-routes have become known as "Ratlines (World War II), ratlines". Known goals of elements within the ''SS'' included allowing ''SS'' members to escape to Argentina or to the Middle East under false passports. Although an unknown number of wanted Nazis and war criminals escaped Germany and often Europe, most experts deny that an organisation called ODESSA ever existed. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Contraband
Contraband (from Medieval French ''contrebande'' "smuggling") is any item that, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold. It comprises goods that by their nature are considered too dangerous or offensive in the eyes of the legislator—termed contraband ''in se''—and forbidden. Derivative contraband consists of goods that may normally be owned, but are liable to be seized because they were used in committing an unlawful act and hence begot illegally, e.g. smuggling goods; stolen goods – knowingly participating in their trade is an offense in itself, called Fence (criminal), fencing. Law of armed conflict In international law, contraband means goods that are ultimately destined for territory under the control of the enemy and may be susceptible to use in armed conflict. Traditionally, contraband is classified into two categories, absolute contraband and conditional contraband. The former category includes arms, munitions, and various materials, such a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stilyagi
Stilyagi ( rus, стиляги, p=sʲtʲɪˈlʲæɡʲɪ, "stylish, style hunters") were members of a youth counterculture from the late 1940s until the early 1960s in the Soviet Union. A stilyaga ( rus, стиляга, p=sʲtʲɪˈlʲaɡə) was primarily distinguished by snappy clothing—preferably foreign-label, acquired from ''fartsovshchiks'' (those who engage in ''fartsovka'') —that contrasted with the communist realities of the time, and a fascination with '' zagranitsa'', modern Western music and fashions corresponding to those of the Beat Generation. English writings on Soviet culture variously translated the derogatory term as " dandies", " fashionistas", "beatniks", " hipsters", or "zoot suiters". Today, the stilyagi phenomenon is regarded as one of the Russian historical social trends which further developed during the late Soviet era (notably the Stagnation Period) and allowed "informal" views on life, such as hippies, punks and rappers. Characteristics Thei ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rokotov–Faibishenko Case
The Rokotov–Faibishenko case was a criminal trial against financial speculators, that took place in the Soviet Union in 1961. It also marked the start of a three-year campaign against large-scale economic crimes, accompanied by show trials. History Background and arrests Ever since the 6th World Festival of Youth and Students, held in Moscow in 1957, dealing in foreign currency had begun to take place on a fairly large scale despite being illegal. Soviets (generally, of a young age) would buy foreign currency from tourists and other visitors, selling it for a profit. In 1961, the authorities broke one such speculation ring, composed of nine people, which had acquired around 20 million rubles in a year. During the search, they found: 344,000 rubles, 1,524 gold coins, about $19,000, almost £500, 3,345 new and 133,000 old French francs, 1,500 West German marks, 8,500 Belgian francs, other currency, icons and other contraband. The KGB investigated the case because contact wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
