Comparative Analysis of Inequality, Corruption, and Trust Studies in Modern Societies

Abstract

The article is concerned with the specific relationship of corruption and inequality in modern societies. This linkage is expanded with the category of trust, which is certainly an important concept in modern societies. There are different points of view on the relationship between corruption and social inequality. The paper proposes to make comparative analysis of this relationship and to interpret it based on the current social situation. First, it should be noted that there is a direct link between the levels of corruption and inequality. The high level of corruption is usually associated with high levels of inequality. But the hypothesis of a strong direct relationship between these concepts is controversial. The path from inequality to corruption may be indirect through trust, but this relationship is a key to understanding why some societies are more corrupt than others. But it is not so simple: the correlation between inequality and corruption is weak. Inequality and corruption are not directly related, there are deviations from this relationship.