Introduction: Corruption and democracy in western Europe

Abstract

Public perceptions and attitudes are central to an understanding of the significance of corruption in Europe and in democracies generally-this for a number of reasons including the meaning of the term 'corruption' itself. But the investigation of perceptions and attitudes is fraught with difficulties, philosophical as well as practical. If these difficulties appear to invite the conclusion that investigation in this area is a forlorn enterprise, three challenges make it worth while to persist: The significance for democratic stability of public appraisals of official conduct deemed illegitimate; growing concerns about this conduct; and a relative lack of information in the area. Each based on a single West European country, or on a specific comparison, the papers making up this special issue together highlight four important themes-a genuine understanding of which will be crucial for intellectual progress in this area.