Corruption is not monolithic—it operates on different levels, with distinct methods and motivations depending on who wields power. Below is a classification of corruption types, categorized by the actors involved (elite vs. non-elite) and their primary mode of operation (theft vs. exchange).
| Elite Corruption | Non-Elite Corruption | |
|---|---|---|
| Theft | Grand TheftEmbezzlement of public funds, offshore hoarding, or oligarchic looting of state assets.E.g., a minister siphoning millions from infrastructure budgets. | Petty TheftSmall-scale pilfering by low-level officials.E.g., a clerk skimming from petty cash or stealing office supplies. |
| Exchange | Access MoneyPayments for influence: corporate lobbying, "donations" for policy favors, or elite networking to bypass rules.E.g., a billionaire buying regulatory loopholes. | Speed MoneySmall bribes to bypass bureaucratic delays.E.g., paying a traffic cop to avoid a ticket or a clerk to "fast-track" a permit. |
Key Observations:
- Elite corruption is systemic, often legalized through loopholes, and operates at a scale that distorts entire economies.
- Non-elite corruption is decentralized, transactional, and thrives in environments where institutional inefficiency makes bribery a survival tactic.
- Theft drains resources directly, while exchange corrupts processes—turning public offices into toll booths rather than service providers
Corruption's most dangerous form is not the petty bribe, but the legalized graft of the powerful, which entrenches inequality and erodes trust in institutions. Yet both tiers feed off each other—when elites loot with impunity, the lower ranks learn to mimic them, just on a smaller scale.