Blat (Russia)

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Blat (Russian: блат, blat) is a term which appeared in the Soviet Union to denote the use of informal agreements, Party contacts, or black market deals to achieve results or get ahead. The adverbial usage of the word is po blatu (по блату), meaning "by blat".

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 supply expediter - a tolkach - to perform this task.

Accordingly, blatnoy means a man who obtains a job or gets into a university using connections or sometimes bribes. In the Soviet republics, blatnoys were very much in demand as it was difficult to gain a post or enroll in some prestigious majors in universities without proper connections.

The original meaning of the word (adjective or noun) blatnoy (блатной) is "criminal" or "belonging to criminal subculture" (for example, "blatnoy language" (see Fenya), "blatnoy behavior", "blatnoy outlook"). See also blatnyak song style.