Corruption initiative as a subject of sociological analysis

The article deals with the issue of initiative in corrupt interactions. The relevance of addressing this topic is due to the fact that stereotypes about the venality of power and the forced corrupt behavior of citizens are widespread in society and in the media field. The empirical base of the article includes the results of a regional study of the level of corruption conducted in nine constituent entities of the Russian Federation with different levels of socio-economic development. Citizens were interviewed to assess the level of «domestic» corruption and an online survey of business representatives was carried out to assess the level of «business» corruption. The results of the study allow to state that, as a rule, the bribe giver takes the initiative in a corrupt transaction. This conclusion is true for ordinary citizens and entrepreneurs, regardless of region of residence. First, respondents are most often convinced of the effectiveness of a bribe as a tool to protect their interests. A bribe is endowed with practical properties that allow you to solve a particular problem quickly and efficiently. Secondly, a significant part of the respondents is aware of the amount of the bribe. The outlined moments are significant for an impressive part of the respondents of the regions, regardless of their administrative-territorial status and level of economic development.