The Corruption of the Law: The Effects of Lawmaking on Systemic Corruption

We often think of the law as the remedy for corruption, but the law itself can, more or less unintendedly, enable systemic corruption. Obscure, unreasonable, irrational, and unjust laws trigger feelings of frustration and distrust towards the legal system and the values it represents. In turn, such feelings foster widespread illegality and favour the systemisation of corrupt practices. This applies not only to statutory law but to any source of law, including customary law, administrative decisions and court judgements. Written in plain and accessible language, this book provides a unique global analysis of this under-researched problem. The focus will fall particularly on the post-Brexit Commonwealth, which, in its intrinsic diversity, is the perfect workbench to understand the problem and devise global solutions. This book seeks also to stimulate a more general – and most needed – rethinking of law-making in the global era.