Marco Arnone/Leonardo S. Borlini: Corruption – Economic Analysis and International Law

Abstract

This volume is the result of the joint efforts of an economist and a lawyer to explore the multi-faceted phenomenon of corruption from the viewpoint of their respective disciplines. The concept is not interdisciplinary in the strict sense, i.e., it is not a hybrid of the methodologies belonging to the different fields. Rather, the book is divided into two parts, the first on economic studies on corruption and the second on the international legal framework. The resulting work is a rich, up-to-date compilation of current anticorruption research. The working definition of corruption chosen for this volume was very much influenced by the specific topics that were examined. As regards the legal part, this follows the material scope of application of the international conventions it examines with their casuistic elements. In the economics part, however, the search for a general definition of corruption is more difficult. Here the authors follow the traditional description going back to Senturia of corruption as Bthe abuse of public office for private gain^. It appears that in modern times, in view of the extensive privatisation of what were formerly public services and the growing globalisation of the economy, this definition restricted to abuse of public power is on the decline. Transparency International therefore now describes corruption more generally as the Babuse of entrusted power for private gain^. As, however, the conclusions drawn in this chapter are in part based on older studies, which were still mostly restricted to the public sector, the narrow definition was appropriate here. One may suppose, though, that many of its statements would also be applicable to the private sector without significant change. The economics part begins with an overview on the current state of research. Whereas many of the early studies of the seventies and eighties were based on anecdotal reports, for example from the press, since the nineties there have been considerable improvements in methodologies for quantitatively measuring the effects Crime Law Soc Change (2016) 66:101–103 DOI 10.1007/s10611-015-9602-6