Description:This work is a study of administrative corruption from an historical perspective. It aims to answer questions such as :Can we find general patterns in the development of corruption? What are the connections between administrative corruption, political corruption and development? What is the historical background for present-day corruption? This work is comprised of nine country studies - Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and the USA. All of them have quite similar development histories with regard to corruption. They have also used similar methods to fight against corruption. The most important explanation of differences is linked to political factors and background. In spite of the differences, all countries have been fighting against administrative corruption for a long time, notably since the late 19th century. According to this study, the fight against administrative corruption cannot be separated from other reforms, such as good governance, nation-building and democratization.