Why are Russians corrupt?

[VetLegion]

[Dauphin]

If it wasn't for corrupt foreigners, including Russians, I wouldn't have such a fun job.

[Nikolai]

Isn't that the name of the antichrist in that Left Behind fundie fapfest?

No, that's Nicolae Carpathia.

[Boris Godunov]

I believe it's relatively simple. After the bolshivik revolution

Uh, Russia has been terribly corrupt since well before the revolution.

Bribery and graft were ways of life under the Tsars.

Whatever it is that caused it, it goes back very, very far in Russian history.

[Sir Og]

These corruption indices are BS. Especially the ones that try to put a value on corruption.
I am sure that high level corruption in the USA (lobbying, etc.) is a lot higher than Russian or any other country's corruption costs. As a percentage of GDP US corruption is not that high but if US GDP drops I am sure that the corruption will not decrease and even increase and reach relative levels comparable to other poorer countries.

Of course common sense dictates that a population of lower paid people will be more tempted to take a bribe than a population of better paid people.

[onodera]

For some reason, lobbying and special interests aren't considered corruption, while their most obviously are.
But here corruption is really pervasive. Do American highway patrolmen take bribes if they stop you for speeding?