Fartsovka

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Fartsovka (Russian: Фарцовка)  is a slang term for the illegal purchase/resale of hard-to-find or inaccessible to the average Soviet inhabitant of scarce imported goods banned in the USSR. Clothing and accessories were the overwhelming majority of supply and demand for fartsovki . Also popular were sound carriers (vinyl records , audio cassettes , reels), cosmetics, household items , books, etc. Fartsovka items, or the phenomenon itself was generally called "fartsa." The traders were mainly young people (students), as well as persons who, by the nature of their activities, have the opportunity to closely communicate with foreigners: guides, translators, taxi drivers, prostitutes , etc.

The vast majority of buyers in the market for the sale of goods mined by black marketers (in the 1950s and 1960s ) were the so-called "Stilyagi." Later, in the 1970s and 1980s, everyone who had money and wanted to dress in an original way, purchase imported consumer goods or equipment, books or imported musical records, resorted to the services of black marketeers. During these years, the sources of fartsovka also changed, and the concept itself acquired a broader meaning. Now the main occupation of most of those who were called black marketers was buying through acquaintances who had connections or the opportunity to travel abroad, scarce goods and foodstuffs.

Etymology[]

"Fartsovka"'s exact origin is uncertain, but one account suggests that it was derived from an archaic word from the Odessa dialect of Russian, "forets" (форец). A "forets" was a man who bought cheap items and sold them in dishonestly expensive prices.

Another origin for the term was the English phrase "for sale", distorted into "forser", referring to the fartsovkas' approach towards foreign, English-speaking tourists.

Description[]

Fartsovki were mainly young people, as well as people who had the opportunity to closely communicate with foreigners: guides , translators, taxi drivers, prostitutes, etc.

The majority of buyers on the market for the goods in the 1950s - 1960s were hipsters. Later, in the 1970s - 1980s years all those who had the money and wanted a different clothes, cosmetics, equipment, books or music, had to use services of black marketeers. During these years, the sources of fartsovy also changed, and the concept itself acquired a broader meaning. Now, the main occupation of most of those who were called black-marketeers was buying through acquaintances who had connections or the ability to travel abroad.

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