Historical Conflict and the Rise of Standards

The paper argues that studying corruption is tricky because definitions are controversial, and solid evidence of corruption cases is often elusive. The issues faced in the study of corruption also include questions of the standards used in the study of the phenomenon. In an attempt to move beyond the identified difficulties, the author incorporates both legal and cultural standards in the study of corruption and identifies it as a behavior that abuses – according to a society’s legal or social standards- public roles and resources for private benefit.