Corrupt Practice of Ryazan Province Local Authorities on the Eve of Peasant Reform of 1861

The article is about corrupt practice of Ryazan province local authorities at the end of 50s 19th century. First and foremost native and foreign literature on bribe history in pre-revolutionary Russia is stated and it is marked that there are still very few official facts on bribe taking in Russia to be exposed. The author pays particular attention to a special note discovered by him in the Record office of III department of His Imperial Majesty chancellery which fulfils our folkways on the level and proportions of extortion and corruption in the Russian province in the middle of 19th century to a considerable degree.

corruption, extortion, bribe, clerk, governor, III department, governors institution, Fiscal chamber