Penalization of bribery and differentiation of liability for it in the soviet criminal law

The paper analyzes the approaches to establishing criminal liability for bribery during the Soviet period of the Russian state. The novelty lies in the fact that this research is one of the few studies that focuses on penalization and differentiation of criminal liability. The judicial practice of this historical period is analyzed, and the relevant statistics are presented. The author notes the anti-bribery activity conducted throughout the entire Soviet state. Laws and regulations being in force in the above-mentioned period are discussed. The paper identifies the evolving approaches to differentiation of liability for bribery and its penalization in criminal law. It is concluded that many provisions of the amended Soviet law are reflected in the current Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The paper reveals the aspects of penalization and differentiation of criminal liability for bribery in the Soviet period and determines the reasons for the ineffective fight against corruption offences at this historical stage.