Blat

Blat (блат, blat) is a term which appeared in the Soviet Union to denote the use of informal agreements, exchanges of services, connections, Party contacts, or black market deals to achieve results or get ahead. The system of blat led to formation of social networks similar to s in the United States, s in the United Kingdom and the former British Empire, or Guanxi in China. Accordingly, blatnoy means a man who obtains a job or gets into a university using, or sometimes bribes. In the Soviet republics, without resort to blat it was difficult to gain a post or enroll in some prestigious majors in universities.

Origin
According to, the origin of the word blat is the blatt, meaning a "blank note" or a "list". However, according to both Vasmer and N. M. Shansky, blat may also have entered into Russian as the  blat, a noun signifying "someone who provides an umbrella" or a "cover". The word became part of Imperial Russian criminal slang in the early 20th century, where it signified relatively minor criminal activity such as petty theft.

Blatnoy originally meant "one possessing the correct paperwork", which, in the corrupt officialdom of Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union indicated that the blatnoy was well connected. The word blatnoy came to indicate career criminals because they had a blatnoy or special status in the Russian criminal underworld. The use of the word to indicate association with the criminal underworld (e.g. "blatnoy language"/, "blatnoy behavior", "blatnoy outlook") is a relatively recent development and is technically incorrect, though it is increasingly prevalent.

The ial usage of the word is po blatu (по блату), meaning "by or via blat".

Russian prison
In the world of Russian prisons blatnoi or blatnoy (Cyrillic: блатной) (plural: blatnyie) is one of the criminal castes and is considered the highest one of four, others being, , and. Blatnyie were professional criminals and did not call themselves blatnoi, instead they used words such as arestant (arrested), bratva (brother[hood]), bosyak (barefoot), zhulik (hooligan), putyovy (traveller), and others. Words such as zhygan and people were once used but became archaic. A life in prison is a stage requirement for every respected criminal. Doing a crime does not necessarily get a criminal accepted in the criminal underworld. Any relations with authorities even coincidental, particularly political affiliation (such as political parties, organizations), closes the door for a person to the "blatnoi" (criminal) world. Beside his/her "blank resume" the candidate to blatnoi must adhere to the "correct understandings" (ponyatiy) which may change with time.
 * Definition
 * Requirements

Usage
The word was primarily used to describe business relationships, when people exchanged favors. Because in the Soviet Union, the Gosplan wasn't able to calculate efficient or even feasible plans, enterprises often had to rely on people with connections, who could then use blat to help fulfill the quotas. Eventually most enterprises came to have a dedicated supply specialist - a tolkach (literally pusher) - to perform this task.

Post-Soviet survival
Blat continues to play a central role in the South Caucasus in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia though personal networks, cultivation of which are vital to accomplishing practical tasks; Corruption playing a strong role retarding the development of democratic institutions.