Political Corruption: Problems and Perspectives

The article deals with the main problems faced in defining political corruption, and briefly delves into the causes and consequences of the phenomenon. The author argues that the way politics is understood necessarily affects what corruption entails and how it is to be conceptualized. The author argues that it is impossible to develop a generalizable and uncontested definition of political corruption, and that the meaning of the phenomenon varies with the nature of the political system in question. The author reviews mainstream approaches to political corruption (including those relying on public opinion, and market-centered approaches), and identifies the challenges arising from these approaches.