INTRODUCTION

What is political corruption?

Political corruption can be defined both with reference to the main stakeholders, namely people in the highest levels of the political system, and the purpose of corrupt behavior, ie to maintain control of power. Therefore, political corruption may be for personal enrichment and group, and for conservation of energy. Often, these two forms of political corruption are linked. Some of the biggest corruption scandals and more serious include both political processes - the accumulation, on one hand and the misuse of public funds extraction or for political purposes on the other. The latter process is somewhat under-researched and understated, since much of the attention in the literature has been accumulating.

Political corruption in the form of accumulation or extraction occurs when government officials use and abuse of their position in power to extract the private sector, government revenues, and the economy in general. These accumulation processes are called extraction, embezzlement, rent-seeking, plunder and even kleptocracy (rule by thieves "), depending on the size and context. The extraction is carried out mainly in the form of bids and solicit bribes in the government, in the processes of privatization and taxes. Military procurement is known to be particularly affected by the removal of political corruption around the world due to the participation of senior politicians, national interests and secrecy.

The other process, if you extract resources (and public money) are used for energy conservation and extension purposes, usually takes the form of political favoritism and cronyism. Includes favouritist politically motivated and distribution of financial incentives and material benefits, advantages, and booty. Techniques include money and material supports to build political loyalty and political support. In power can afford to rivals and the opposition and get a parliamentary majority. By giving preference to private companies can obtain funding from parties and campaigns, and on payment of governmental controls and the control that can stop the investigations and audits and increased judicial impunity. Moreover, by fair purchase decisions of election commissions and through the purchase of votes that can ensure his reelection.

Political corruption takes place at the highest level of the political system, and therefore can be distinguished from administrative or bureaucratic corruption. bureaucratic corruption takes place at the end of the implementation of the policy, for example, in public services as education and health. Political corruption takes place at the end of the policy-making, where decisions on the distribution of wealth of the nation and the game are made.

Political corruption is also generally distinguished from corruption in the corporate and private sector. This is only a matter of academic classification, however, as the bribes offered by private companies, national and international corruption are frequent and significant factors. Our goal here, however, is not on the supply side of corrupt transactions, but on the demand side. Most definitions of corruption also emphasize the demand (state) side, for example by stating that corruption is "abuse of official authority and power for private gain."

In this paper, I will not enter the bureaucratic and administrative corruption, except when relevant to illustrate the systemic nature of political corruption - the pyramid of upward extraction. Let's keep the focus on the demand side, corrupt governments, while recognizing the importance of the supply conductors. We also focus on political corruption in developing countries and transition, rather than developed countries (although the examples in developed countries are used to illustrate certain mechanisms