Underground «brokers» of Leningrad during the «Khrushchev Thaw»

The shadow activities of illegal businessmen in the second most important city of the RSFSR – Leningrad are examined in the article, based on the study of a diverse array of materials stored in the State Archives of the Russian Federation and introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The economic liberalism that was observed during the period of «Khrushchev's reformism» had both positive and negative consequences. The purpose of the article is to identify and analyze the reasons that led to the growth of the shadow economy in Leningrad during the «Khrushchev thaw». The illegal purchase and sale of goods created conditions for the enrichment of individuals, officially called «parasite speculators». The «swindlers» condemned by the authorities caused significant damage to state trade, introducing elements of disorganization into the Leningrad commodity supply system. Private intermediaries, engaged in illegal business in Leningrad, entered into collusion with «responsible employees» of some state trade organizations that were subordinate to the Ministry of Trade of the RSFSR. During the research it was revealed that shadow entrepreneurs «became immeasurably rich» thanks to the «criminal accumulation of capital», having gained illegal access to the acquisition of the «deficit» of the food and commodity fund of Leningrad. The responsible employees, who were in collusion with illegal businessmen, deliberately complicated the process of accounting for food products, falsified documents for the payment of travel expenses, «cash payments» of large sums for intermediary services, etc. In addition, secret entrepreneurs actively took advantage of their impunity. As a rule, «shadow traders» did not identify themselves in documentary and accounting records, so for a long time, without coming to the attention of law enforcement agencies, they could freely engage in illegal activities, which contributed to the flourishing of various economic frauds.