ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the Italian case and political corruption that was intertwined with bureaucratic corruption. In the Italian case, two apparently contradictory peculiarities emerge in the relationship between the judges and the political sphere: on the one hand, a very high formal degree of independence; on the other, a high level of "politicization" of the judges. The chapter indicates these peculiarities had a differential effect on the attitudes and behavior of the judiciary toward the crimes of the political class. It explores some cross-national comparison and some generalizations on the interactions between political and bureaucratic corruption. Besides autonomous petty corruption the bureaucrats often had the chance to enter into complex—and economically rewarding— negotiations with the politicians. The surfacing of corruption in Belgium has led to projects for reform based on the Italian model, introducing an autonomous council for the magistracy and recruitment through state examination.
