2025/06/27 by David Jackson · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Corruption and Economic Development #Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/10999922.2025.2520679
openalex publication_date 2025/06/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
This article revisits the concept of “systemic corruption,” which is often framed in the literature as a macro-sociological phenomenon embedded in the broader structure of society. While this high-level lens highlights the pervasiveness of corruption, it also risks analytical overreach and a lack of precision. The article proposes an alternative meso-level framework that focuses on collectives and groups, aligning more closely with the core characteristics of a system. Within this model, corruption qualifies as systemic when it reflects stable interactions among multiple actors governed by shared norms and practices. Furthermore, the article argues to pay attention to meso-forms of systemic corruption because in seeking self-preservation, these systems tend to inflict a ‘severe’ abuse of entrusted power: using corrupt gains strategically to deliberately hollow out accountability institutions and co- opt public actors into the corrupt system. The discussion concludes with reflections on the implications of this perspective for both anti-corruption practice and future research.