Study On Anti-corruption From The Perspective Of Social Capital

Social capital theory provides a new interpretation paradigm for anti-corruption study, for it helps us to put corruption in the social context. Previous studies on anti-corruption always focused on human nature and institutions, now social capital theory makes it possible to analysis corruption from non-political and non-economic perspectives.According to different intents people embedded in social relations, social capital can be divided into bonding social capital and bridging social capital. Bonding social capital develops within inward looking and exclusive groups of similar people or people who share similar interests. Corruption, particularly political and public corruption, is oftern fostered by bonding social capital since close social relations create high level of particularized trust, particularized reciprocity within the in-group. Bridging social capital consists of social relations which are outward looking and encompass people across diverse social cleavages. Bridging social capital encourages generalized trust and reciprocity and gives social supports for anti-corruption. Successful anti-corruption experience of Hong Kong relies on its bridging social capital, for it helps ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) to form an anti-corruption system and fundamentally construct an honest culture.The successful experience of HKSAR provides a practical way for China mainland to fight for corruption. There is too much bonding social capital in China while lack of bridging social capital. Therefore, it is important for the Chinese government to create democratic political environment, improve the legal system, foster civil society and citizenship in order to create more bridging social capital.