Oh, good grief!

NOTES AND QUERIES

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By Erkki Pennanen
     
      Out of curiosity, I acquired a book that was recently withdrawn from circulation because of "awkward issues" related to Russia.
      The book, a guide written by three Finns, explains Russian customs and behaviour to Finns, the main target being businessmen involved in trade with Russia. The publisher is the Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce.
      The well-written guide follows the traditional formula of books of etiquette, and satisfies a real need, considering how much Finnish and Russian customs differ.
      A controversy, leading to the withdrawal of the book from distribution, was sparked by a chapter called "Gift or bribe?", detailing what kind of an attitude to take toward bribery, how to recognise a willingness to take a bribe, and what to offer as a bribe and how.
     
Someone here in Finland  has apparently woken up to ponder how it is possible to write about such apparently criminal but common cultural norms in quite a matter-of-fact manner. What will the Russians think? After all, it does give quite a negative view of everyday life in Russia, and the lack of development in the society there.
      Even those who do not admit to being concerned about Russia’s possible reactions might object to the book for purely domestic reasons. Bribery is a crime in Finland as well, and the book could be seen as nudging Finnish traders towards committing bribery. Thus the writers of the book can be said to have committed the crime of incitement.
     
I certainly do not wish to make jokes at the expense of Finnish officials. They are quite right to have reacted to the situation.
      Concern was raised at the Ministry of Trade and Industry over the fact that the ministry helps fund the organisation that published the book.
      Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, for his part, saw reason to investigate whether or not the guide meets the criteria of incitement to commit a crime. The office of the Prosecutor General got right to work and decided to acquire a copy of the guide and read it more carefully.
      At that point the Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce resolved to withdraw the book - which had been published more than a year earlier - from circulation.
     
Would there have been any controversy if the book had not involved Russia, but rather, for instance, the culture and etiquette of China or Asia - including the solicitation and giving of bribes?
      I would venture to guess that there would not have been. Russia continues to set alarm bells ringing in Finland.
      Sometimes people here try to be more Catholic than the Pope himself. A guide on business etiquette in Russia written for Finnish businessmen would have been seriously deficient if it had not touched upon the culture of bribery for reasons of delicacy.
      Discussing the issue is particularly important specifically because Finland and Russia represent diametrically-opposed attitudes with respect to bribery, as the book itself points out. A Finnish businessman simply will not make it in Russia if he is not aware of the impact that the Russian bribery culture might have on everyday dealings.
      There is naturally a grey area when the subject turns to giving bribes, and to actually giving advice on its secrets. The guide in question touches upon this problem as well, and it does this quite matter-of-factly and discreetly, at least from the point of view of Russian everyday reality.
      Accusations of "incitement to bribery" can be made only in a country which has been ranked in international comparisons year after year as the world’s least corrupt.
     
Russia certainly represents the opposite extreme. A Russian colleague recently answered my question of what kind of an attitude should be taken toward talk of a further increase in bribery during Vladimir Putin’s time in office by saying that unfortunately, it should be taken very seriously.
      Russia is one of Finland’s largest trading partners. Does anyone imagine that Finns, with their high moral principles, have achieved such respect among their Russian business associates that they can afford to play in Russia according to purely Finnish rules?
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 4.2.2005


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish-Russian Chamber of Commerce withdraws guidebook containing bribery tips (27.1.2005)
  Tuomioja criticises bribery advice in book on Russian trade (25.1.2005)
  Book on trade with Russia gives instructions on bribery (21.1.2005)

ERKKI PENNANEN / Helsingin Sanomat
erkki.pennanen@hs.fi