Carelessness as a Russian National Trait | The St. Petersburg Times | The leading English-language newspaper in St. Petersburg

Carelessness as a Russian National Trait | The St. Petersburg Times | The leading English-language newspaper in St. Petersburg

Russians have had trouble shaking off one stereotype for centuries: razgildyaistvo, or negligence and carelessness. Razgildyaistvo, some say, is as Russian as long, cold winters — a ­Russian institution of its own making.

How accurate is this stereotype?

Prominent historian and journalist Leonid Mlechin perhaps put it best: "Razgildyaistvo is part of the Russian character for the simple reason that Russians often have difficulty following rules and instructions.

The Russian workplace is all too often defined by a lack of discipline and system of control."