Bribery in preindustrial societies: understanding the universalism-particularism puzzle
Journal of Anthropological Research • Vol/Iss. 70 • Published In • Pages: 263-284 •
By Rothstein, Bo, Torsello, Davide
Hypothesis
"In a culture in which private and public goods are neatly separated both conceptually and customarily (i.e., in their access and management), there will be fewer problems in distinguishing what is corruption and what is not" (265).
Note
Agriculturalists/Commercial economies have the highest amount of bribery and pastoralist societies have the lowest amount of bribery. These findings support the hypothesis because agriculturalists/commercial economies have the most varied public and private goods arrangements and pastoralists have the least ambiguity between public and private goods.
| Test Name | Support | Significance | Coefficient | Tail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comparison of percentages | Partially supported | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN |
| Variable Name | Variable Type | OCM Term(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Bribery | Dependent | Exploitation, Political Intrigue |
| Separation Of Public And Private Goods | Independent | NONE |