Science Forums 2

[Icarus]

I am currently working on this topic. Thought I could use some analysis.

I define corruption in the conventional sense - "The misuse of public office for personal gains."

Now, I claim corruption depends on 2 factors -
1) A social structure that permits someone to be corrupt.
2) Institutions that fail to punish corruption.

Point 2 is what most societies focus on. Richer countries have lower corruption because they have money to develop institutions to keep people in check .

By point 1 I mean concepts like social heirarchy, etc. For example in a society with lesser power inequalities, nobody has the power to be corrupt. And thus low levels of corruption.

Now, while these seem fairly obvious, most policies and explanations of corruption fail to consider the basic culture of a society. now, culture is a vague term but I define it as social norms which are not imposed upon society but slowly develop with time.

The fact is that corruption is a very western concept. Many societies just didn't function this way. For example is Russia, "corruption" was sometimes just a mean to get around the red tape that hindered progress. Corruption CAN be welfare-improving.
Also gift-taking and giving is a part of many cultures. ex. guanxi in China. To call inefficient fails to look at how or why it has developed.

I am trying to look at how other cultural factors might affect corruption. And if culture is as big a component of corruption as is the institutions of a country.
(I do understand that the differences between institutions and culture are sometimes blurred, and difficult to analyze, but I am trying to this)

Any inputs?