Difference between revisions of "Magharich (Armenia)"

In the modern sense of the word, magharich’ is simply a ‘camouflage’ word for a bribe. To give a magharich’ or to ask for magharich’ commonly means to bribe or to solicit a bribe. Many examples of the use of the word magharich’ in this sense can be found in the Armenian media. For instance, in a report on a high profile court case, a witness was quoted as saying that he gained employment because his mother gave magharich’ to the accused, a former head of a government agency (Hetq 2004)<ref>Hetq.am. 2004. ‘Hazar dollari magharich vori masin vkan imacel e qnnichivc.’ 8 December, http://hetq.am/arm/news/57701/1000-dolari-maxarich-ori-masin-vkan-imacel-e-qnnichic.html</ref>.

In the modern sense of the word, magharich’ is simply a ‘camouflage’ word for a bribe. To give a magharich’ or to ask for magharich’ commonly means to bribe or to solicit a bribe. Many examples of the use of the word magharich’ in this sense can be found in the Armenian media. For instance, in a report on a high profile court case, a witness was quoted as saying that he gained employment because his mother gave magharich’ to the accused, a former head of a government agency (Hetq 2004)<ref>Hetq.am. 2004. ‘Hazar dollari magharich vori masin vkan imacel e qnnichivc.’ 8 December, http://hetq.am/arm/news/57701/1000-dolari-maxarich-ori-masin-vkan-imacel-e-qnnichic.html</ref>.

The use of ‘camouflage’ words to describe bribery-related practices can be found in different countries. In this context the use of the word magharich’ is very similar to the notion of ‘envelopes’ which is widely used in a number of countries including China, France and Latvia, or ‘un petit cadeau’ (a little gift) in North Africa. The word magharich’ in this meaning is also comparable to the Persian word baksheesh, which is widely used in many Middle Eastern countries to mean ‘tip’ and ‘alms’ as well as ‘bribe’ (Economist 2006)<ref>The Economist. 2006. ‘The etiquette of bribery. How to grease a palm’, 11 December, http://www.economist.com/node/8401139</ref>.

The use of ‘camouflage’ words to describe bribery-related practices can be found in different countries. In this context the use of the word magharich’ is very similar to the notion of ‘envelopes’ which is widely used in a number of countries including China, France and Latvia, or ‘un petit cadeau’ (a little gift) in North Africa. The word magharich’ in this meaning is also comparable to the Persian word baksheesh, which is widely used in many Middle Eastern countries to mean ‘tip’ and ‘alms’ as well as ‘bribe’ (Economist 2006)<ref>The Economist. 2006. ‘The etiquette of bribery. How to grease a palm’, 11 December, http://www.economist.com/node/8401139</ref>.

In Russia, examples of the use of magharich’ in both meanings (gift-giving and bribery) have been documented by a number of researchers exploring various aspects of the cultural, political and economic life of people in the regions of Kazan, Don, and Tula (Kiselev 2009, Krasnov 2010, Skryabin 2011)<ref>Kiselev, A. G. 2009. ‘Elementi firmennogo marketinga v konce XIX i nachale XXv v provincial’noj kommercheskoj praktike (na zapodno-sibirskom materiale)’ Izvestiya Altayskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta, 4 (3): 81-85, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/elementy-firmennogo-marketinga-v-kontse-xix-nachale-xx-v-v-provintsialnoy-kommercheskoy-praktike-na-zapadno-sibirskom-materiale</ref><ref>Krasnov, S. Y. 2010. ‘Funktsionirovanie organov teritorialnogo obshcheestvennogo samoypravleniya po obichnomy pravy y donskix kazakov vo vtoroj polovine XIX veka.’ Vestnik VolGY. Jurisprudentsija,Seriya 5, 1: 37-47, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/funktsionirovanie-organov-territorialnogo-obschestvennogo-samoupravleniya-po-obychnomu-pravu-u-donskih-kazakov-vo-vtoroy-polovine-hih</ref><ref>Skryabina I. V.  2011. ‘Iz  istorii dogovornyx otnosheniij krest’yan tulskoj gubernii vo vtoroj polovine XIX veka’, IzvestiyaTul’skogogosudarstvennogouniversiteta.Gumanitarnie nauki, 3: 144-150, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/iz-istorii-dogovornyh-otnosheniy-krestyan-tulskoy-gubernii-vo-vtoroy-polovine-xix-veka</ref>. The word featured in the tsarist police force’s anti-corruption plans in the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century (Salnikov 2009: 171-174)<ref>Salnikov, A. A. 2009. ‘Zakonodatel’stvo regulirovanie borbi s korrupciej v organax politsii rossijskoj imperii v XiX – nachale XX veka’, Yuridicheskaya nauka I praktika: Vestnik Nijegorodskoj akademii MVD Rosii, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/zakonodatelnoe-regulirovanie-borby-s-korruptsiey-v-organah-politsii-rossiyskoy-imperii-v-xix-nachale-xx-veka</ref>. Interestingly, while describing the functioning of the legal and social autonomy of the Cossacks in the Russian Don area, Krasnov draws attention to the practice of ‘putting out magharich’’ (in form of alcohol) at village meetings, to solicit support of the most articulate and dominant representatives of the community. These krikuni (literally ‘speakers–shouters’) often had more influence than the village elders, and supplying the magharich’ to them could influence their view and help to achieve the desired outcome. This practice of influencing the process of community decision-making in Cossack villages in the Don region has become enshrined in the saying ‘Without magharich’ a person from the Don wouldn’t make any speeches’ (‘Без магарычей нет у донца и речей’ ), widely used from the second half of the nineteenth century (Krasnov 2010: 45)<ref>Krasnov, S. Y. 2010. ‘Funktsionirovanie organov teritorialnogo obshcheestvennogo samoypravleniya po obichnomy pravy y donskix kazakov vo vtoroj polovine XIX veka.’ Vestnik VolGY. Jurisprudentsija,Seriya 5, 1: 37-47, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/funktsionirovanie-organov-territorialnogo-obschestvennogo-samoupravleniya-po-obychnomu-pravu-u-donskih-kazakov-vo-vtoroy-polovine-hih</ref>. Moreover, the elders (atamans) in the Don region ‘put out magharich’’ in order to be elected as heads of their communities (Riblova 2008)<ref>Riblova, M. 2008. ‘Atamanskaya vlastx v kazachix soobshchestvax na donu (XVI-XVIIIvv)’, Vlast’, 11: 129-133, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/atamanskaya-vlast-v-kazachih-soobschestvah-na-donu-xvi-xviii-vv</ref>. This local practice has been satirised in the film ‘Election Day’ (Den’ vyborov 2007). Other typical examples in contemporary Russian discourse include, ‘Hey, friend, they say your daughter got married, so you owe us magharich’’, meaning that the father of the bride should buy drinks or a meal for friends or colleagues in accordance with the tradition; or ‘I got a place at university – the magharich’ is on me!’, referring to the willingness of a student to share their joy with friends by offering them a drink.

In Russia, examples of the use of magharich’ in both meanings (gift-giving and bribery) have been documented by a number of researchers exploring various aspects of the cultural, political and economic life of people in the regions of Kazan, Don, and Tula (Kiselev 2009, Krasnov 2010, Skryabin 2011)<ref>Kiselev, A. G. 2009. ‘Elementi firmennogo marketinga v konce XIX i nachale XXv v provincial’noj kommercheskoj praktike (na zapodno-sibirskom materiale)’ Izvestiya Altayskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta, 4 (3): 81-85, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/elementy-firmennogo-marketinga-v-kontse-xix-nachale-xx-v-v-provintsialnoy-kommercheskoy-praktike-na-zapadno-sibirskom-materiale</ref><ref>Krasnov, S. Y. 2010. ‘Funktsionirovanie organov teritorialnogo obshcheestvennogo samoypravleniya po obichnomy pravy y donskix kazakov vo vtoroj polovine XIX veka.’ Vestnik VolGY. Jurisprudentsija,Seriya 5, 1: 37-47, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/funktsionirovanie-organov-territorialnogo-obschestvennogo-samoupravleniya-po-obychnomu-pravu-u-donskih-kazakov-vo-vtoroy-polovine-hih</ref><ref>Skryabina I. V.  2011. ‘Iz  istorii dogovornyx otnosheniij krest’yan tulskoj gubernii vo vtoroj polovine XIX veka’, IzvestiyaTul’skogogosudarstvennogouniversiteta.Gumanitarnie nauki, 3: 144-150, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/iz-istorii-dogovornyh-otnosheniy-krestyan-tulskoy-gubernii-vo-vtoroy-polovine-xix-veka</ref>. The word featured in the tsarist police force’s anti-corruption plans in the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century (Salnikov 2009: 171-174)<ref>Salnikov, A. A. 2009. ‘Zakonodatel’stvo regulirovanie borbi s korrupciej v organax politsii rossijskoj imperii v XiX – nachale XX veka’, Yuridicheskaya nauka I praktika: Vestnik Nijegorodskoj akademii MVD Rosii, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/zakonodatelnoe-regulirovanie-borby-s-korruptsiey-v-organah-politsii-rossiyskoy-imperii-v-xix-nachale-xx-veka</ref>. Interestingly, while describing the functioning of the legal and social autonomy of the Cossacks in the Russian Don area, Krasnov draws attention to the practice of ‘putting out magharich’’ (in form of alcohol) at village meetings, to solicit support of the most articulate and dominant representatives of the community. These krikuni (literally ‘speakers–shouters’) often had more influence than the village elders, and supplying the magharich’ to them could influence their view and help to achieve the desired outcome. This practice of influencing the process of community decision-making in Cossack villages in the Don region has become enshrined in the saying ‘Without magharich’ a person from the Don wouldn’t make any speeches’ (‘Без магарычей нет у донца и речей’ ), widely used from the second half of the nineteenth century (Krasnov 2010: 45)<ref>Krasnov, S. Y. 2010. ‘Funktsionirovanie organov teritorialnogo obshcheestvennogo samoypravleniya po obichnomy pravy y donskix kazakov vo vtoroj polovine XIX veka.’ Vestnik VolGY. Jurisprudentsija,Seriya 5, 1: 37-47, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/funktsionirovanie-organov-territorialnogo-obschestvennogo-samoupravleniya-po-obychnomu-pravu-u-donskih-kazakov-vo-vtoroy-polovine-hih</ref>. Moreover, the elders (atamans) in the Don region ‘put out magharich’’ in order to be elected as heads of their communities (Riblova 2008)<ref>Riblova, M. 2008. ‘Atamanskaya vlastx v kazachix soobshchestvax na donu (XVI-XVIIIvv)’, Vlast’, 11: 129-133, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/atamanskaya-vlast-v-kazachih-soobschestvah-na-donu-xvi-xviii-vv</ref>. This local practice has been satirised in the film ‘Election Day’ (Den’ vyborov 2007). Other typical examples in contemporary Russian discourse include, ‘Hey, friend, they say your daughter got married, so you owe us magharich’’, meaning that the father of the bride should buy drinks or a meal for friends or colleagues in accordance with the tradition; or ‘I got a place at university – the magharich’ is on me!’, referring to the willingness of a student to share their joy with friends by offering them a drink.

In the most recent linguistic analyses, magharich’ is viewed as a type of a bribe alongside other colloquial terms such as peshkesh and baksheesh (Shaev 2013: 863-866)<ref>Shaev, I. M. 2013. ‘Konstruktivno–etimologicheskoe soderjanie podkupa’, Yuridicheskaja texnika, 7 (2): 863-866, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/konstruktivno-etimologicheskoe-soderzhanie-podkupa</ref>. Similarly, Nona and Robert Shahnazaryan refer to the word magharich’ as a form of bribe in their discussion of alternative economic relations, family relations and forms of corruption in the communities of the Caucasus. They also identify other euphemisms for bribery such as уважить (to show respect), подсластить (to sweeten), кормить (to feed), умаслить (to cajole), and отблагодарить (to thank) (Shahnazaryan and Shahnazaryan 2010: 68)<ref>Shahnazaryan, N. R. and Shahnazaryan, R. P. 2010. ‘“Uvajit', umaslit' otblagadarit’”: Diskursiy’ ob altrnativnoj’ ekonomike, rodstve i korupcii v kavkazskix sobchestvax’, Laboratorium, 1: 50-72</ref>. It can be concluded that the meaning of magharich’ has evolved in the Soviet and post-Soviet contexts.

In the most recent linguistic analyses, magharich’ is viewed as a type of a bribe alongside other colloquial terms such as peshkesh and baksheesh (Shaev 2013: 863-866)<ref>Shaev, I. M. 2013. ‘Konstruktivno–etimologicheskoe soderjanie podkupa’, Yuridicheskaja texnika, 7 (2): 863-866, http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/konstruktivno-etimologicheskoe-soderzhanie-podkupa</ref>. Similarly, Nona and Robert Shahnazaryan refer to the word magharich’ as a form of bribe in their discussion of alternative economic relations, family relations and forms of corruption in the communities of the Caucasus. They also identify other euphemisms for bribery such as уважить (to show respect), подсластить (to sweeten), кормить (to feed), умаслить (to cajole), and отблагодарить (to thank) (Shahnazaryan and Shahnazaryan 2010: 68)<ref>Shahnazaryan, N. R. and Shahnazaryan, R. P. 2010. ‘“Uvajit', umaslit' otblagadarit’”: Diskursiy’ ob altrnativnoj’ ekonomike, rodstve i korupcii v kavkazskix sobchestvax’, Laboratorium, 1: 50-72</ref>. It can be concluded that the meaning of magharich’ has evolved in the Soviet and post-Soviet contexts.