Corruption, an endemic virus affecting the integrity of elected representatives ; La corruption, virus endémique affectant l'intégrité des élus
Considered as an abuse of power by political elites, political corruption is typically perceived as a normal phenomenon in the sense of the French sociologist Émile Durkheim both because of its sustainability and its useful role in the development of societies. Therefore, that crime, within the meaning of Durkheim, cannot be regarded as a social condition. If such a position was acceptable in the 19th century, it is not the case today with the rise of virology. The article therefore proposes to introduce a new approach to political corruption through the prism of biology and to conceptualise it in the form of a virus, or a normal viral phenomenon infecting democracy through the integrity of elected representatives. As a consequence of this conceptualisation, the fight against corruption is seen as an immune response and attempts to evaluate prevention and control policies. ; Considered as an abuse of power of the elected representatives, political corruption is classically seen as a normal phenomenon – as the French sociologist Émile Durkheim said – because of its sustainability and its useful function in the development of the society. Therefore, that crime couldn't be understood as a social pathology. If this position was acceptable at the 19th century, today, the evolution of the virology can change our view of corruption. The article suggests a new concept of political corruption as a political virus infecting the democracy through the elected official's integrity. This conceptualization enables a new vision of the prevention and the control of corruption as an immunological response and tries to estimate the efficiency of the policy against corruption. ; Considered as an abuse of power by political elites, political corruption is typically perceived as a normal phenomenon in the sense of the French sociologist Émile Durkheim both because of its sustainability and its useful role in the development of societies. Therefore, that crime, within the meaning of Durkheim, cannot be regarded as a social condition. ...
