title: Corruption: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
author:  Leslie Holmes 
description: <br /><strong>Leslie Holmes</strong> is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Melbourne; and a recurrent visiting professor at the Graduate School of Social Research in Warsaw, the University of Bologna, and the People's University in Beijing. He has also taught at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Vienna and at intensive workshops on corruption in Belgrade and Sofia. His principal research specializations are corruption, communism, and post-communism. He has either authored or edited 14 books and numerous articles and book chapters. His publications include <em>Rotten States?</em> (Duke UP, 2006), <em>Communism</em> (OUP, 2009), <em>Post-Communist Democratization</em> (co-authored with John Dryzek - CUP, 2002), and two edited collections, <em>Terrorism, Organised Crime, and Corruption</em> (Elgar, 2007) and <em>Trafficking and Human Rights</em> (Elgar, 2010). He has been a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia since 1995.<br />
zlib_text: # THE  
  RISK  
  AGENT
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # ALSO BY RIDLEY PEARSON
  
  
  _In Harm’s Way_
  
  
  _Killer Summer_
  
  
  _Killer View_
  
  
  _Killer Weekend_
  
  
  _Cut and Run_
  
  
  _The Art of Deception_
  
  
  _The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer_
  
  
  (writing as Joyce Reardon)
  
  
  _The Pied Piper_
  
  
  _Beyond Recognition_
  
  
  _Undercurrents_
  
  
  BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
  
  
  _Peter and the Starcatchers_ series
  
  
  (with Dave Barry)
  
  
  _The Kingdom Keepers_ series
  
  
  _Never Land_ series
  
  
  (with Dave Barry)
  
  
  _Steel Trapp_ series
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # **_Author’s Note_**
  
  
  Between 2003 and 2009, China investigated 240,000 cases of embezzlement,
  bribery, dereliction of duty and corruption. In 2009, 3,193 people were
  punished for criminal liability in offering bribes. From 2001 to 2009, state-
  owned land granted through bidding and auction increased from 7.3 percent to
  85.3 percent.[1](part0002.html#fn_1)
  
  
  In 2009 the U.S. Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section charged 36
  people for corruption and related offenses.[2](part0002.html#fn_2)
  
  
  It is estimated tha