Analysis of the corpus
Karin Zotzmann · 2025
Chapter 5 analyses the corpus which is divided into three main parts: instances of realistic petty, middle-range, and elite corruption. The boundary between the three categories is by no means clear cut. I categorize cases as ‘petty’ when the quid and the quo are rather small, and the societal damage of the illicit practice is relatively limited as in the case of traffic violations. Middle-range corruption includes mostly cases where larger sums of money are negotiated, the consequences are overall farther-reaching, and the interactions are more complex as they require the involvement of others who are not present. The cases categorized as ‘elite corruption’ involve participants with substantial institutional power and resources and the concomitant damage that their actions cause is greater.