The article examines the extent to which systems theory (otherwise known as autopoietic theory) is useful for deepening our understanding of corruption in Indonesia. Socio-legal scholarship has conventionally assumed a direct causal link between law and social behaviour, but system theory enables scholars to consider alternative forces that are actually at work in shaping social behaviour. The article argues that while systems theory is useful, particularly in mapping out the complex relationships between different social systems and epistemic communities, it may not be the best analytical tool to approach the topic of corruption in Indonesia.