Corrupt

Corruption is a form of dishonesty or criminal activity undertaken by a person or organization entrusted with a position of authority, often to acquire illicit benefit. Corruption may include many activities including bribery and embezzlement, though it may also involve practices that are legal in many countries. Political corruption occurs when an office-holder or other governmental employee acts in an official capacity for personal gain.

Types of corruption

Corruption can occur on different scales. Corruption ranges from small favors between a small number of people (petty corruption), to corruption that affects the government on a large scale (grand corruption), and corruption that is so prevalent that it is part of the everyday structure of society, including corruption as one of the symptoms of organized crime (systemic corruption).

Petty corruption

Petty corruption occurs at a smaller scale and occurs within established social frameworks and governing norms. Examples include the exchange of small improper gifts or use of personal connections to obtain favors. This form of corruption is often found in the processes of public administration or the implementation of services where officials meet the public.

Grand corruption

Grand corruption is defined as corruption occurring at the highest levels of government in a way that requires significant subversion of the political, legal and economic systems. Such corruption is commonly found in countries with authoritarian or dictatorial governments but also in those without adequate policing of corruption.

Systemic corruption

Systemic corruption (or endemic corruption) is corruption which is primarily due to the weaknesses of an organization or process. It can be contrasted with individual officials or agents who act corruptly within the system.

Effects of corruption

Corruption poses a serious development challenge. In the political arena, it undermines democracy and good governance by flouting or even subverting formal processes. Corruption in elections and in the legislature reduces accountability and distorts representation in policymaking; corruption in the judiciary compromises the rule of law; and corruption in public administration results in the inefficient provision of services. It also increases the cost of business through the price of illicit payments themselves and the management cost of negotiating with officials and the risk of breached agreements or detection.

Combating corruption

Various measures have been proposed to address corruption, including the establishment of international and national agencies to monitor and combat corruption. Legal and institutional reforms are often advised as ways to control corruption. Transparency and accountability have also been key words in the fight against corruption, with technology and legal frameworks being developed to ensure public officials are held accountable. Education and cultural change are also seen as strategies for combating endemic corruption.

See also

• Political corruption
• Corporate corruption
• Anti-corruption
• Transparency (behavior)
• Accountability