Live Streamed Lecture on Corruption

The lecture is part of the Russian language #Лекторий@minprosvet series, which aims to allow students from across the world to access the best educators in the Russian Federation.

Professor Tonkov looked at the concept as a phenomenon, talking about it as an unfortunate by-product of the modern state, and used examples from history. He suggested ways that it could be tackled. He played clips from news channels of recent cases of high-profile corruption, and presented statistics and alternate scholarly opinion on the matter. His conclusion was,
“Despite the measures taken, the metastases of corruption still penetrate deeply into the economy of the state. It should be understood that the absence of openness, accountability and control of heavily financed projects and national programs implemented throughout the country, allows corruption to devalue their content and disavow their goals, no matter how noble their intention. Being a cumulative product of the monopolization of state power, it will inevitably lead to authoritarianism and oligarchy.”

The lecture was immediately followed by a lively Q&A that included much extemporisation. If you missed it, it is available here.