I think a lot of Eastern European socialist states had ton of bribes (or sometimes "gifts") to get anything done, including in some places "gifts" to your doctor.
Unfortunately Marx didn't eliminate all the micro transactions
Or you had a friend who worked at the store or the factory and could get you stuff because they liked you. A hundred friends could get you further than a hundred roubles.
They are famously embargoed by America, except for food and medicine. Which is a pretty big deal, considering how important the US market is for any state in the American continents.