Corruption: From International Law and Ethics to Realpolitik and Amoralism

Abstract In this essay, a philosophical and critical lens is applied to the case of corruption. For reasons having to do with both analysis and assessment of the framework of the only specialized convention at the international level of law, namely the United Nations Convention Against Corruption ( uncac ), the author takes a closer look at several aspects and areas that somehow fade into the background of the discourse or even fall out of the legal corruption equation itself despite their centrality to the topic. Examples include considerations of market theory, marginalization and discrimination, human rights, ethics, realpolitik , structural violence and corruption prevention, and norms of general international law. The essay also makes use of some country-specific scenarios, in part, to raise questions about possible ‘cracks’ in political governance typology. The essay is divided into two individual articles, Part i : ‘Perspectives on the Corruption Discourse’ and Part ii : ‘The Macro Area’.