Corruption, like crime in general, exists on some level in every society. In certain geographical areas it is endemic: developing countries where basic necessities are unavailable and where the majority live in abject poverty.
Hungary is no exception. Whilst still communist, bribery was not only accepted but expected. It caused neither embarrassment nor sleepless nights – it was frequently the only way to circumvent absurd regulations that seemed to serve no other purpose than to provide petty bureaucrats with an opportunity to ‘earn’ some extra cash. Everyone was familiar with the going rates for anything from being caught by the police for speeding to the ‘fee’ expected from the obstetrician for the delivery of a baby, or from being supplied with the name of someone who could help you get a telephone to ‘helping’ your child get a place at university. Though resented to an undeniable extent, these bribes – more often referred to as ‘tips’ – were a part of everyday life. State wages were low, and people sought any method to supplement their incomes.
State-owned shops had little on offer, but even some of the available stock was hidden away in back store-rooms. Thus, if you were unable to find shoes in your size, and the assistant hinted that a suitable pair might be in stock, using the well-worn ‘code’ of I would be very grateful if you would have a look, indicated that your gratitude would subsequently manifest itself in a few hundred extra forints. The police were infamous: no proof was available (nor indeed necessary) to accuse any driver of an array of misdemeanours, each with its attached rate. Refusal to offer a tip was much more of an inconvenience than to offer a few banknotes and put it down to bad luck. A student of mine worked to pay for his studies in a gaming hall: one-armed bandits in a small, dark room in the eighth district. A policeman was a regular: he would lose 20,000 forints in a short session, and then replacing his cap, stand on the corner of the busy road, flag down some ‘speeding’ motorists and return with his pockets replenished. With a (very) few notable exceptions, everyone expected to have to give such tips, and few refused when offered: there was almost nothing that could not be ‘arranged’ for a fee, and if one person refused to accept the bribe, there would be half a dozen more waiting for such an opportunity.
Meanwhile, veritable armies of men and women claimed they were unable to work for health reasons, all claiming disability allowance while pursuing lucrative activities, unchecked, for decades.
There was a belief, a hope, that with the collapse of the communist system, these ingrained habits would fade – indeed, that with higher wages they would become an anachronistic curiosity, at least on this everyday level. Yet the truth is that little has changed. In 2000, Britain’s The Independent published an article entitled: Bribe menu shows Hungary has best police force money can buy”! Whilst public intolerance of bribery is promulgated in official circles, it continues unabated. Whether the small-time acceptance (expectance) of 25,000 forints to see you through your driving test, or the odd million for planning permission in green-belt zones, the situation remains, in essence, unaltered. According to Transparency International, Hungary fell eight positions from last year to 47th on Transparency International's 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index. In fact, Hungary has now slipped lower than both the Czech Republic and Slovenia – countries which twenty years ago lagged far behind Hungary in terms of development, but which have now surpassed the Hungarians. Is the correlation between their economic success and decreasing corruption pure coincidence, one wonders?
Hungary is no exception. Whilst still communist, bribery was not only accepted but expected. It caused neither embarrassment nor sleepless nights – it was frequently the only way to circumvent absurd regulations that seemed to serve no other purpose than to provide petty bureaucrats with an opportunity to ‘earn’ some extra cash. Everyone was familiar with the going rates for anything from being caught by the police for speeding to the ‘fee’ expected from the obstetrician for the delivery of a baby, or from being supplied with the name of someone who could help you get a telephone to ‘helping’ your child get a place at university. Though resented to an undeniable extent, these bribes – more often referred to as ‘tips’ – were a part of everyday life. State wages were low, and people sought any method to supplement their incomes.
State-owned shops had little on offer, but even some of the available stock was hidden away in back store-rooms. Thus, if you were unable to find shoes in your size, and the assistant hinted that a suitable pair might be in stock, using the well-worn ‘code’ of I would be very grateful if you would have a look, indicated that your gratitude would subsequently manifest itself in a few hundred extra forints. The police were infamous: no proof was available (nor indeed necessary) to accuse any driver of an array of misdemeanours, each with its attached rate. Refusal to offer a tip was much more of an inconvenience than to offer a few banknotes and put it down to bad luck. A student of mine worked to pay for his studies in a gaming hall: one-armed bandits in a small, dark room in the eighth district. A policeman was a regular: he would lose 20,000 forints in a short session, and then replacing his cap, stand on the corner of the busy road, flag down some ‘speeding’ motorists and return with his pockets replenished. With a (very) few notable exceptions, everyone expected to have to give such tips, and few refused when offered: there was almost nothing that could not be ‘arranged’ for a fee, and if one person refused to accept the bribe, there would be half a dozen more waiting for such an opportunity.
Meanwhile, veritable armies of men and women claimed they were unable to work for health reasons, all claiming disability allowance while pursuing lucrative activities, unchecked, for decades.
There was a belief, a hope, that with the collapse of the communist system, these ingrained habits would fade – indeed, that with higher wages they would become an anachronistic curiosity, at least on this everyday level. Yet the truth is that little has changed. In 2000, Britain’s The Independent published an article entitled: Bribe menu shows Hungary has best police force money can buy”! Whilst public intolerance of bribery is promulgated in official circles, it continues unabated. Whether the small-time acceptance (expectance) of 25,000 forints to see you through your driving test, or the odd million for planning permission in green-belt zones, the situation remains, in essence, unaltered. According to Transparency International, Hungary fell eight positions from last year to 47th on Transparency International's 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index. In fact, Hungary has now slipped lower than both the Czech Republic and Slovenia – countries which twenty years ago lagged far behind Hungary in terms of development, but which have now surpassed the Hungarians. Is the correlation between their economic success and decreasing corruption pure coincidence, one wonders?
In view of April’s forthcoming election, the perceived lack of transparency in Hungary's party and campaign financing begs the question as to what has been achieved in the twenty years since The Change. More worrying is the conclusion: If no effective action is taken against corruption, Hungary may easily slide down the ladder in the next few years.
We will all just have to wait and see.
I like your post and I agree with you. I was born in Budapest and lived there until 1987. I find that not much has changed in peoples' minds. I think that many people rely too much on the government and not enough on themselves. People still are not ready to be really independent and think long term.
ReplyDeleteCorruption has changed but it hasn't disappeared. I agree with you.