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Corruption in Postcommunist Societies in Europe: A Reexamination

Ledeneva, A; (2009) Corruption in Postcommunist Societies in Europe: A Reexamination. Perspectives on European Politics and Society , 10 (1) pp. 69-86. 10.1080/15705850802700017. Green open access

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Abstract

Anti-corruption drives and a new ‘corruption paradigm’ have figured prominently in the reconstitution of political order in Europe's postcommunist states, under strong pressure from the international financial institutions and the European Union. Now that data on corruption are systematically collected, measured and monitored, it is both possible and essential to step back and assess what these data reveal, conceal or omit. This paper articulates and provides a critique of the assumptions, preconceptions and methodology implicit in the prevailing ‘corruption paradigm’. The critique is organized around the cultural and historical neutrality of the definition of corruption (assumption 1); problems with the measurement of corruption (assumption 2); and the implications for policy-making (assumption 3). The paper argues that the ‘disaggregation’ of the corruption paradigm in the postcommunist states is essential, both for an adequate assessment of the postcommunist experience and for determining the validity of the paradigm.

Type: Article
Title: Corruption in Postcommunist Societies in Europe: A Reexamination
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1080/15705850802700017
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15705850802700017
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Corruption paradigm, definition, public/private division, measurement, perception of corruption, policy-making, disaggregation, informal practices
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > SSEES
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/64914
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