Corruption offers rich pickings for writers. It’s something that fascinates us and, if we’re honest, we worry could seduce us. Often, what keeps corruption contained is a lack of opportunity and the fact the risks outweigh the rewards – although sometimes the risk-takers are those eschewing corruption.
We British have always had a slightly superior attitude to corruption, seeing it as something endemic in other countries. We had the odd instance, such as the John Poulson scandal of the early 70s, which brought down some politicians, including the then home secretary; and the “sleaze” surrounding John Major’s government in the 90s included actual “brown envelopes”. But on the whole, we consoled ourselves that these were outliers.
