PHiLES 0.1 Questions about Moscows Moral Atmosphere in the First Years of Transition
PHiLES index:   Economic Ethics in Different Cultures.

1. At Sheremetjevo Airport the author notes an "astonishing amount of announcements saying that it is absolutely forbidden to give presents to the officials of this airport." Would it be allowed at Amsterdam Airport, were no such announcements are found? What explains this difference?
2. "The mafia is strong, but does not yet understand the economic laws of its own business in the new environment.". What would improve at the Airport if the ruling mafia would understand the idea of a price elasticity and monopoly profit maximization? (This has actually improved now: mafia still rules, but became smarter, to the benefit of the public).
3. From the story of the state shop it transpires that early retail traders in Moscow after the changes were very different from early traders in say the Middle Age European towns and modern Westerns retail traders. What is the difference?
4. As a result of the communist past, Russian people have an idea about saving and investment different from the "Western" idea. Describe concisely the difference.
5. The "loud new rich" display a specific kind of cultural fashion statement. Describe the image of a business man they try to emulate. Where does this image come from?
6. How is early Russian mafia compared to Western nobility ?
7. The end of the page deals with understanding other cultures by "projection". What is projection? In what sense can it be done good or bad? Why can it never be perfect? What is the relation to the problems dealt with in Identifying culture groups?