Corruption: Political and Public Aspects

The interest of social science, media, and policymakers for corruption has exploded after 1990 due to increasing evidence that corruption is accountable for poor growth and chronic underdevelopment. This had impressive policy consequences: by 2012, no less than 161 state parties had adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), which was put into force on 14 December 2005. This article discusses the various conceptualizations of corruption as an individual behavior as well as a governance regime (particularism), the evolution of Western thought until the adoption of ethical universalism as universal governance norm (with UNCAC) and the performance of countries in establishing control o