The many faces of corruption: Which one(s) to target?

As is well known, corruption has several faces, ranging from petty corruption, where ordinary citizens have to pay bribes to get goods and services, to high level political corruption. Anti-corruption policies have to take cognizance of the possible trade-offs existing between different forms of corruption such as collusion, extortion, embezzlement, and bribery. Efforts to control one form may encourage another. In such a context, the chapter argues that, despite its lower value and gift-like manifestation, extortive petty corruption is not to be ignored as it creates a 'culture' of corruption which contributes to its persistence. This form of corruption spreads easily as victims of bribery are more likely to seek bribes when they are given the chance to do so.