Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

News •

Deals in the dark, kowtowing to donors drove corruption-minded voters to seek change this election • Nov. 4, 2026, 8:06 AM ET (The Salt Lake Tribune)
Government weighs changing corruption law to boost investment climate • Oct. 27, 2026, 10:14 AM ET (Jakarta Post)
Proposal to narrow definition of corruption draws flak • Oct. 25, 2026, 5:57 AM ET (Jakarta Post)

Corruption, Improper and usually unlawful conduct intended to secure a benefit for oneself or another. Its forms include bribery, extortion, and the misuse of inside information. It exists where there is community indifference or a lack of enforcement policies. In societies with a culture of ritualized gift giving, the line between acceptable and unacceptable gifts is often hard to draw. See also organized crime.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Jeannette L. Nolen.