The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Within the American Response to Domestic Corruption

Abstract

In King Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey, in his final speech of expiation, urges Cromwell to act honourably, arguing: ‘corruption wins not more than honesty’. Hopefully, the radical nature of this sentiment did not cause the historic burning of the Globe Theatre during the inaugural performances of the play. Just as Wolsey's recantation of his past sins and practices came a little too late with much too little, so American and, especially, international anti‐corruption efforts have been either nonexistent or, at the least, largely admonitory.