The Perception of Corruption

Abstract

Corruption and corruption perception can be considered as cultural phenomena because they depend on how a society understands the rules and what constitutes a deviation. Indeed, it does not depend only on societies but also on personal values and moral vies. While a person would never pay a bribe someone else may pay it due to consider this action as justifiable. This disposition to pay is likely to be positively correlated by people’s perception of corruption. High levels of corruption perception could have more devastating effects than corruption itself; it generates a “culture of distrust” towards some institutions and may create a cultural tradition of gift giving and hence, raising corruption. Therefore, it means that one should seek not only what there is in common but also emphasize the many relevant differences in politics and cultures. This study aims to assess the foundations of corruption perception while focusing on its commonalities and differences across societies.