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What is the opposite of corruption?

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  • Bo Rothstein

Abstract

Corruption has turned out to be difficult to define and what should be counted as the opposite to corruption remains widely disputed. If the goal for a post-conflict society is not only to become democratic and prevent a return to violence but also to reduce systemic corruption, we need to know what it is that should be fought and how the opposite to systemic corruption should be conceptualised. To define the opposite to corruption, choices have to be made along four conceptual dimensions. These are universalism vs relativism, uni- vs multidimensionality, normative vs empirical and whether the definition should relate to political procedures or policy substance. As a result of this conceptual analysis, it is argued, a universal, one-dimensional, normative and procedural definition should be preferred. The suggested definition is that of impartiality as the basic norm for the implementation of laws and policies. This conceptual analysis ends with a discussion of why such a norm has historically and in the contemporary world been hard to achieve and why it is especially problematic in post-conflict societies.

Suggested Citation

  • Bo Rothstein, 2014. "What is the opposite of corruption?," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(5), pages 737-752, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ctwqxx:v:35:y:2014:i:5:p:737-752
    DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2014.921424
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    Cited by:

    1. Huishui Su & Yu Lu & Oleksii Lyulyov & Tetyana Pimonenko, 2023. "Good Governance within Public Participation and National Audit for Reducing Corruption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-17, April.
    2. Camilla Orjuela & Dhammika Herath & Jonas Lindberg, 2016. "Corrupt Peace? Corruption and Ethnic Divides in Post-war Sri Lanka," Journal of South Asian Development, , vol. 11(2), pages 149-174, August.
    3. Osei, Davina & Konte, Maty & Avenyo, Elvis Korku, 2024. "Escaping Corruption in the Demand for Public Services in Africa — The Dual Nature of Civic Networks," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    4. Nicholas Charron, 2016. "Explaining the allocation of regional Structural Funds: The conditional effect of governance and self-rule," European Union Politics, , vol. 17(4), pages 638-659, December.
    5. Adel Daoud, 2015. "Quality of Governance, Corruption and Absolute Child Poverty in India," Journal of South Asian Development, , vol. 10(2), pages 148-167, August.

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