Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Debates of Corruption and Integrity pp 102–119Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Curbing Corruption or Promoting Integrity? Probing the Hidden Conceptual Challenge

  • Chapter

Part of the book series: Political Corruption and Governance ((PCG))

Abstract

It is now widely accepted, both by academics and by policymakers, that corruption among public officials seriously undermines the quality of governance. Corruption increases bureaucratic inefficiency, reduces tax returns, challenges political legitimacy, and — fundamentally — is unethical. Corruption — however defined — also represents a major cost: globally, potentially $1 trillion could be ‘lost’ to corruption each year, although estimations of the costs of corruption are inherently imprecise. Given such staggering potential losses, it is unsurprising that there has been a desire to understand and ultimately reduce corruption. That has led to much detailed work that focuses on measuring and evaluating corruption, which in turn has prompted the paying of ever more attention to the issue of precisely how corruption may best be combated. Development aid agendes and financial institutions, in particular, have increasingly insisted that corruption be curbed (Charron, 2011: 71); thus, corruption within development projects is sufficient grounds for the World Bank to suspend project loans indefinitely (see, for example, World Bank, 2010: 11). The ostensible goal is to reduce the rate of corruption to more or less zero. However, regardless of questions about the efficiency of a system that seeks to be completely non-corrupt (see Anechiarico and Jacobs, 1996), it is far from obvious that achieving zero corruption — were such a thing possible — would result in the expected gains in either efficiency or ethics.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Agnafors, M. (2013), ‘Quality of Government: Toward a More Complex Definition,’ American Political Science Review, 107(3): 433–445.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alhassan-Alolo, N. (2007), ‘Gender and Corruption: Testing the New Consensus,’ Public Administration and Development, 27: 227–237. doi: 10.1002/pad.455

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alm, James (1988), ‘Compliance Costs and the Tax Avoidance-Tax Evasion Decision,’ Public Finance Quarterly, 16(1): 31–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amundsen, Inge (1999), Political Corruption: An Introduction to the Issues (Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute).

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersson, S. and Heywood, P.M. (2009), ‘The Politics of Perception: Use and Abuse of Transparency International’s Approach to Measuring Corruption,’ Political Studies, 57(4): 746–767.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anechiarico, F. and Goldstock, R. (2007), ‘Monitoring Integrity and Performance: An Assessment of the Independent Private Sector Inspector General,’ Public Integrity, 9(2): 117–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anechiarico, F. and Jacobs, J. (1996), The Pursuit of Absolute Integrity: How Corruption Control Makes Government Ineffective (Chicago: University of Chicago Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ansell, C. (2001), ‘Legitimacy: Political,’ in N.J. Smelser, J. Wright and P. B. Baltes (eds), International Encyclopaedia of Social & Behavioural Sciences (Oxford: Elsevier): 8 704–8 706.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baldry, J.C. (1984), ‘The Enforcement of Income Tax Laws: Efficiency Implications*,’ Economic Record, 60: 156–159. Doi: 10.1111 /j.1475–4932.1984.tb00848.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beber, B. and Scacco, A. (2012), ‘What the Numbers Say: A Digit Based Test for Election Fraud,’ Political Analysis, 20(2): 211–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bratsis, Peter (2003), ‘The Construction of Corruption,’ Social Text, 21(4): 9–33. Doi:10.1215/01642472–21–4_77–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R.C. ([1910] 1970), ‘The Nature of Political Corruption,’ in A. Heidenheimer (ed.), Political Corruption: Readings in Comparative Analysis (London: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.): 56–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buchan, B. and Hill, L. (2014), An Intellectual History of Political Corruption (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Buchanan, A. (2002), ‘Political Legitimacy and Democracy,’ Ethics, 112(4): 689–712.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carman, C. (2010), ‘The Process is the Reality: Perceptions of Procedural Fairness and Participatory Democracy,’ Political Studies, 58(4): 731–751.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cartier—Bresson, J. (1997), ‘Cormption Networks, Transaction Security and Illegal Social Exchange.’ Political Studies, 45(3): 463–476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chander, P. and Wilde, L.L. (1998),’A General Characterization of Optimal Income Tax Enforcement,’ Review of Economic Studies, 65(1): 165–183. Doi: 10.1111/ 1467–937X.00040.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charron, N. (2011), ‘Exploring the Impact of Foreign Aid on Corruption: Has the “Anti-Corruption Movement” Been Effective?’ The Developing Economies, 49(1): 66–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cicero, M. (1913 [44BC]), De Officiis, translated by Walter Miller (Cambridge: Harvard University Press).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Coady, C.A.J. (2008), Messy Morality: The Challenge of Politics (Oxford: Oxford University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) (2009), MPs’ Expenses and Allowances: Supporting Parliament Safeguarding the Taxpayer, Cm 7724 (London: HMSO).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dan-Cohen, M. (2001), ‘The Value of Ownership,’ Journal of Political Philosophy, 9(4): 404–434.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fox, R. and Korris, M. (2012). ‘A Fresh Start? The Orientation and Induction of New MPs at Westminster Following the 2010 General Election,’ Parliamentary Affairs, 65(3): 559–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golden, M. and Picci, L. (2005), ‘Proposal for a New Measure of Corruption. Illustrated with Italian Data,’ Economics and Politics, 17(1): 37–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heywood, P. and Krastev, I. (2006), ‘Political Scandals and Corruption,’ in P.M. Heywood, E. Jones, M. Rhodes and U. Sedelmeier (eds), Developments in European Politics (Basingstoke: Macmillan): 157–176.

    Google Scholar 

  • House of Commons (2009), The Green Book: A Guide to Members’ Allowances (London: House of Commons).

    Google Scholar 

  • Huberts, L., Lasthuizen, K. and Peeters, C. (2006), ‘Measuring Corruption: Exploring the Iceberg,’ in C. Sampford, A. Shacklock, C. Connors and F. Galtung (eds), Measuring Corruption (London: Ashgate): 265–293.

    Google Scholar 

  • Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) (2013), Annual Review of the MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses, HC 1032 (London: The Stationary Office).

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, S. (2013 [1755]), ‘Corruption,’ A Dictionary of the English Language: A Digital Edition of the 1755 Classic by Samuel Johnson, B. Besalke (ed.). Available at http://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/?p=16540 (last modified: November 7, 2013).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalinin, K. and Mebane, W. (2010), ‘Understanding Electoral Frauds Through Evolution of Russian Federalism: From “Bargaining Loyalty” to “Signaling Loyalty”,’ Paper prepared for the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Washington DC, September 2–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalnins, V. (2014), Anti-Corruption Policies Revisited: D3.2.8. Background paper on Latvia. Alina Mungiu-Pippidi (ed.). ANTICORP deliverable paper [Available online: http://anticorrp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Latvia-Background-Report_final.pdf].

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelso, A. (2009), ‘Parliament on its Knees: MPs’ Expenses and the Crisis of Transparency at Westminster,’ The Political Quarterly, 80(3): 329–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kenny, M. (2009). ‘Taking the Temperature of the British Political Elite 4: Labour, Chronicle of a Defeat Foretold?’ Parliamentary Affairs, 62(4): 663–672.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, U., Harvey, A., and Montague, P. R. (2011), ‘Domain Expertise Insulates Against Judgment Bias by Monetary Favors through a Modulation of Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex,’ Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(25): 10332–10336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Legg, T. (2010), ‘ACA Review,’ in House of Commons Members Estimate Committee (ed.), Review of Past ACA Repayments, HC348 (London: The Stationary Office Limited).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackie, J. (1977), Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong (London: Penguin).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathur, A. and Singh, K. (2013), ‘Foreign Direct Investment, Corruption and Democracy,’ Applied Economics, 45(8): 991–1002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mungiu-Pippidi, A., Loncaric, M., Vaz Mundo, B., Sponza Braga, A., Weinhardt, M., Solares, A., Skardziute, A., Martini, M., Agbele, F., Jensen, M., von Soest, C., and Gabedava, M.(2011), Contextual Choices in Fighting Corruption: Lessons Learned (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation).

    Google Scholar 

  • National Audit Office (NAO) (2011), IndependentParliamentary Standards Authority: The Payment of MPs’ Expenses, HC 1273 (London: The Stationary Office).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lord Nolan (1995), Standards in PublicLi fe: First Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Cmnd. 2850–51 (London: HMSO).

    Google Scholar 

  • Nye, J.S. (1967), ‘Corruption and Political Development: A Cost-Benefit Analysis,’ The American Political Science Review, 51(2): 417–427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Persson, A., Rothstein, B. and Teorell, J. (2012), ‘Why Anti-Corruption Efforts Fail: Systematic Corruption as a Collective Action Problem,’ Governance, 26(3): 449–471.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philp, M. (2006), ‘Corruption Definition and Measurement,’ in C. Sampford, A. Shacklock, C. Connors and E Galtung (eds), Measuring Corruption (London: Ashgate): 45–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Philp, M. (2007), Political Conduct (Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Pope, J. (ed.) (1996), Nationallntegrity Systems: The TI Sourcebook (Berlin: Transparency International).

    Google Scholar 

  • Public Accounts Committee (2011), Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, HC 1426 (London: The Stationary Office Limited).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, J. (2014), The Public Understanding of Political Integrity: The Case for Probity Perceptions (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rose, J. and Heywood, P.M. (2013), ‘Political Science Approaches to Integrity and Corruption,’ Human Affairs, 23(2): 148–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rothstein, B. (2011), The Quality of Government: Corruption, Social Trust, and Inequality in International Perspective (London: University of Chicago Press).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sampford, C., Smith, R., and Brown, A. J. (2005), ‘From Greek Temple to Bird’s Nest: Towards a Theory of Coherence and Mutual Accountability for National Integrity Systems,’ Australian Journal of Public Administration, 64(2): 96–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott, I. and Leung, J.Y. (2012). ‘Integrity Management in Post-1997 Hong Kong: Challenges for a Rule-Based System,’Crime, Law and Social Change, 58(1): 39–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thaler, R.H. and Sunstein, C.R. (2008), Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness (New Haven: Yale University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Transparency International (TI) (2011), What is the Corruption Perceptions Index. Available at http://www.transparency.org/cpi2011/in_detail/#myAnchor3

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, T. (1994), ‘Governing Amid Diversity: The Effect of Fair Decisionmaking Procedures on the Legitimacy of Government,’ Law & Society Review, 28(4): 809–832.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, T. (2000), ‘Social Justice: Outcome and Procedure,’ International Journal of Psychology, 35(2): 117–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vian, T. (2008), ‘Review of Corruption in the Health Sector: Theory, Methods and Interventions,’ Health Policy and Planning, 23(2): 83–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Bank (1996), Annual Meetings Address by James D Wolfensohn, October 1, 1996. Available at http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/ ORGANIZATION/EXTPRESIDENT/EXTPASTPRESIDENTS/PRESIDENTEXTERNAL/0„contentMDK:20025269-menuPK:232083-pagePK:159837-piPK:159808-theSit ePK:227585,00.html

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank (2010), Standard Conditions for Loans Made by the World Bank out of the Climate Investment Funds. Available at http://siteresources.worldbank.org/ INTLAWJUSTICE/Resources/STDCIF-English-10.pdf

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Paul M. Heywood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jonathan Rose
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Integrity in Business and Government, Central European University, Hungary

    Peter Hardi (Professor and Director) (Professor and Director)

  2. University of Nottingham, UK

    Paul M. Heywood (Dean of the Graduate School and Sir Francis Hill Professor of European Politics) (Dean of the Graduate School and Sir Francis Hill Professor of European Politics)

  3. Socio-cultural Anthropology, CEU Business School, Hungary and University of Bergamo, Italy

    Davide Torsello (Associate Professor) (Associate Professor)

Copyright information

© 2015 Paul M. Heywood and Jonathan Rose

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Heywood, P.M., Rose, J. (2015). Curbing Corruption or Promoting Integrity? Probing the Hidden Conceptual Challenge. In: Hardi, P., Heywood, P.M., Torsello, D. (eds) Debates of Corruption and Integrity. Political Corruption and Governance. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137427649_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation