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Social and Political Consequences of Administrative Corruption: A Study of Public Perceptions in Spain
Author(s) -
Villoria Manuel,
Van Ryzin Gregg G.,
Lavena Cecilia F.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
public administration review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.721
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1540-6210
pISSN - 0033-3352
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-6210.2012.02613.x
Subject(s) - language change , politics , political corruption , legitimacy , government (linguistics) , political science , democracy , public opinion , local government , perception , general social survey , public trust , public administration , political economy , sociology , public relations , social psychology , law , psychology , art , linguistics , philosophy , literature , neuroscience
Spain experienced an outbreak of public sector corruption—much of it related to the involvement of regional and local administrators and politicians in the country's urban development boom—that angered the public and sparked calls for government reform. Using data from a 2009 survey that followed these events, the authors examine the association between perceived corruption and the attitudes and behaviors of citizens, including satisfaction with government and democracy, social and institutional trust, and rule‐breaking behaviors. The findings suggest that perceptions of administrative as well as political corruption are associated with less satisfaction, lower levels of social and institutional trust, and a greater willingness to break rules. Although these survey results cannot prove causation, they are consistent with the notion that administrative and political corruption damages the legitimacy of government in the eyes of citizens and weakens the social fabric of democratic society.