The Problem of Corruption in Ethical and Philosophical Doctrines

The problem of corruption has deep historical roots and has been considered in various ethical and philosophical teachings for thousands of years, attracting the attention of philosophers, government and religious figures. The authors of the article consider corruption through the prism of ethical and philosophical teachings of various eras, analyzing their contribution to understanding and condemning this phenomenon. The purpose of the study is to determine the contribution of ethical and philosophical interpretations of corruption to the modern understanding of this phenomenon as a moral, social and political challenge. Modern studies of the personality of a corrupt criminal show that one of the most common causes of corruption is the low moral and ethical qualities of officials. Special attention is paid to the consideration of corruption as a moral and social phenomenon associated with the violation of justice, abuse of power and the decline of morality. The analysis of ethical and philosophical views on corruption has revealed the specific ethical dilemmas that societies face in various historical epochs. Many of them are still relevant, including in the context of the implementation of such measures to prevent corruption as the formation of intolerance to corrupt behavior in society, which is explicitly provided for in Part 1 of Article 6 of Federal Law No. 273‑FZ of December 25, 2008 “On Combating Corruption”. The article examines the views of prominent thinkers of the past, as well as the research of scientists of our time, including their contribution to the formation of a modern understanding of corruption. The choice of specific ethical and philosophical works from the entire impressive array of accumulated scientific thought is conditioned by the need to present a diverse and representative selection of views on the issue under consideration in the context of a limited volume of scientific articles. The authors emphasize that corruption in ethical and philosophical teachings is considered not only as a legal or political problem, but also as an ethical challenge requiring a deep rethinking of the values and principles of public life.