A Study of the Effects of Corruption on Economic and
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this essay is to reveal what are the causes of corruption and the factors that create the opportunities for corruption, what are effects of corruption on economic and political development in Armenia and in different nations. And according to this findings and the experience of other countries that have succeeded in their fight against corruption suggest the policies for reducing corruption in Armenia.
The first chapter of the essay mainly deals with the terms, definitions, concepts and types of corruption. Corruption as one of the oldest and most perplexing phenomenon in human society exists in every country. The classical conception of corruption, as a general disease of the body politics, was stated by ancient philosophers Plato and Aristotle. They saw corruption as dysfunctional, which is destructive of a particular political order, be it monarchy, aristocracy or democracy. Carl Fredrich defines corruption as a deviant behavior associated with a particular motivation, namely that of private gain at public expense. Van kKlavaren see corruption as the exploitation of the public. There have been a number of different attempts at defining corruption.
However no precise definition can be found which applies to all forms, types and degrees of corruption, or which would be acceptable universally. More frequently used definition of corruption is the abuse of public office for private gain. Public office can be abused in many ways, for example, when officials accept or extort bribe; or public office can be abused for personal benefits even if no bribery occurs through the theft of state assets or diversion of state revenues. The second chapter investigates the variety of causes of corruption and opportunities that governmental structures create for corruption in Armenia and in different nations. Leslie Holmes
9
(1993 p.157) the causes of corruption divides into three categories, cultural, psychological, and
The purpose of this essay is to reveal what are the causes of corruption and the factors that create the opportunities for corruption, what are effects of corruption on economic and political development in Armenia and in different nations. And according to this findings and the experience of other countries that have succeeded in their fight against corruption suggest the policies for reducing corruption in Armenia.
The first chapter of the essay mainly deals with the terms, definitions, concepts and types of corruption. Corruption as one of the oldest and most perplexing phenomenon in human society exists in every country. The classical conception of corruption, as a general disease of the body politics, was stated by ancient philosophers Plato and Aristotle. They saw corruption as dysfunctional, which is destructive of a particular political order, be it monarchy, aristocracy or democracy. Carl Fredrich defines corruption as a deviant behavior associated with a particular motivation, namely that of private gain at public expense. Van kKlavaren see corruption as the exploitation of the public. There have been a number of different attempts at defining corruption.
However no precise definition can be found which applies to all forms, types and degrees of corruption, or which would be acceptable universally. More frequently used definition of corruption is the abuse of public office for private gain. Public office can be abused in many ways, for example, when officials accept or extort bribe; or public office can be abused for personal benefits even if no bribery occurs through the theft of state assets or diversion of state revenues. The second chapter investigates the variety of causes of corruption and opportunities that governmental structures create for corruption in Armenia and in different nations. Leslie Holmes
9
(1993 p.157) the causes of corruption divides into three categories, cultural, psychological, and