Abstract
Augustine's political thought or, as it is often called, political theology is a matter of considerable dispute. 'Augustine and Corruption' approaches that dispute by examining the evidence that Ramsay MacMullen presented to substantiate his observation that Augustine 'approved of' corruption. I read that evidence differently and use Augustine's remarks about bribes paid to court clerks, schemes to defraud philanthropists, and tax evasion to support what has been aptly called 'a minimalist' interpretation of his political expectations.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Spring 2009
Publisher Statement
Copyright (c) Imprint Academic 2013. This article first appeared in History of Political Thought 30:1 (2009), 46-59. Reprinted with permission by Imprint Academic.
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Recommended Citation
Kaufman, Peter Iver. "Augustine and Corruption." History of Political Thought 31, no. 1 (Spring 2009) : 46 - 59.