Introduction: Debating Corruption and Anticorruption in History

Ronald Kroeze, André Vitoriá, Guy Geltner

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The introduction to this volume focuses on historiography, methodology and conclusions. It explains how anticorruption has seldom been treated as a historical subject except as the occasional counterpart of corruption; instead, policy makers and social scientists have linked anticorruption and good government to the historical development of democracy and Weberian-style bureaucracy, all emblematic aspects of countries consistently ranked among the least corrupt in the world. This hypothesis has struck most historians involved in this volume as either circular or at least teleological. In response, they have sought to show that efforts to control corruption are not an exclusively Western-European or modern phenomenon; rather, the history of anticorruption is far more complex and diverse. In addition, they also outline how anticorruption is an inherently political issue, related to changing power relations and acute political crises, and that fighting corruption is historically difficult to evaluate in terms of success or failure.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAnti-corruption in History
Subtitle of host publicationFrom Antiquity to the Modern Era
EditorsRonald Kroeze, André Vitoria, Guy Geltner
PublisherOxford University Press
Pages1-17
Number of pages17
ISBN (Electronic)9780192538031
ISBN (Print)9780198809975
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018

Keywords

  • History
  • Corruption
  • Anticorruption
  • Political History

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Introduction: Debating Corruption and Anticorruption in History'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this