The Political Aspects of Corruption

Bill Tupman

University of Exeter

Overview

• Who corrupts?• Who is corrupted?• How?• What conditions

facilitate corruption?• Corruption and

business practice• Cultural differences

Who corrupts?

• Multinational corporations

• Organised crime

• Government officials

• Relatives

• Friends

Targets

• Personnel

• Profits

• Product

• Process

• Perimeter

• Popularity/ public image

• Plans

Who is corrupted

• Underpaid

• unappreciated

• underpromoted

• greedy

• deviant

How?

• Buy my guns and I’ll give you a percentage

• make a policy decision in my favour

• don’t offer contracts to open competition

Cultural differences

• Your “corruption” is my “normal business practice”

• Your “bribe” is my “mark of respect”

• Guanxi: networking or insider dealing?

• Patron-client relations