First things first: I am Russian. And when I used to live in Russia, it was widely understood that no one in any position of power got there through merit. This was not-and still isn't-a secret, nor is it something that people are the least bit ashamed of. People you just met speak bluntly about bribing their way into MSU, the country's most prestigious university, or of getting a cushy gig as a lawyer because they had the right connections.
Esquire: You’d probably be surprised by this booming Russian black market
Sergei Naryshkin, the former chief of staff in Vladimir Putin's administration and Chairman of the State Duma-the lower house of the Federal Assembly.
