An evolutionary institutionalist interpretation of corruption
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23925/1806-9029.v35i1e60749%20Keywords:
Original institutional economics, Corruption, Institutions, HabitsAbstract
This article aims to elaborate an interpretation of corruption through an evolutionary institutionalist approach based on the theoretical principles elaborated by Thorstein Veblen and Geoffrey Hodgson. Corruption is considered as a behavior (or way of life) that emerges as a complex social structure from the interaction between agents, represented by sets of rules, norms and characteristic meanings. The proposed interpretation provides an institutionalist ontological perspective emphasizing that social and economic evolution is a continuous, cumulative and non-linear process, driven by changes in institutions. The main conclusion reached was that impunity represents a mechanism that facilitates, encourages and/or channels the assimilation and reproduction of corrupt habits by acting as a mitigator of the serious consequences of the violation of moral rules.
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