The House Always Wins - (Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society) by Gian Marco Moisé (Paperback)

About the Book

Using Kazakhstan as a case study, Gian Marco Moisé explores the various ways in which corruption and informal governance converged and were shaped by the everchanging power dynamics between the different actors participating in the industry.

Book Synopsis

Every couple of years, a new corruption scandal of the oil industry draws the attention of worldwide media: The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists describes the complex schemes of shell companies, international transfers, and hidden tax havens that the political elites of resource-rich countries exploit to embezzle the wealth of the land they should be protecting; dozens of books discuss at length how kleptocrats and their informal circles spend millions of dollars virtually undisturbed in the general hypocrisy of world leaders. This is what we know, but how do the actors of the oil sector shape their relationships through informality?

Using Kazakhstan as a case study, Gian Marco Moisé explores the various ways in which corruption and informal governance converged and were shaped by the everchanging power dynamics between the different actors participating in the industry. Complemented by discussions on other rentier economies, each practice of the taxonomy is presented as a specific strategy employed by the predatory elite to achieve different governance objectives. As these practices normalize, their effects trickle down into an increasing inequality that contributes to the generalized informality of the lowest ranks of the industry.

Review Quotes

The House Always Wins is a majestic theoretical and empirical encounter with the complex, informal methods kleptocrats and their retinues use to ruthlessly raid oil wealth. While empirically anchored in Central Asia, this is not an area studies text, it is a methodical study of kleptocracy. Moisé's eye for forensic empirical detail and his razor-sharp ability to extract from the data transferable analytical propositions will make this pioneering volume of significant interest to scholars, policy makers, and civil society working globally on the vexed issue of corruption, kleptocracy, and hydrocarbons.--Kristian Lasslett, Professor of Criminology, Ulster University

Well-informed, subtle, and insightful. If you are looking for a deep analysis of the dark sides of the oil industry in Kazakhstan, and beyond, look no more and start from this book.--Abel Polese, Senior Researcher, Dublin City University

About the Author

Dr Gian Marco Moisé works in democracy development in Brussels. Previously, he was project coordinator of the Global Informality Project (in-formality.com). He received his PhD in Politics and International Relations in Dublin City University (2023), where he was a fellow of the MSCA RISE "SHADOW: An exploration of the nature of informal economies and shadow practices in the former USSR region". His papers have been published by Central Asian Survey, Journal of Extreme Anthropology, and The Extractive Industries and Society. Moisé is dedicated to the mainstreaming of political science to broader audiences. With this objective, he opened "Understanding Politics", a YouTube Channel on political theory, and wrote Capire I Balcani Orientali: Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova (Bottega Errante Editore 2023).