Rational Executives and Selfish Politicians: The Cultural Repertoires of Legal Experts

Abstract

Grand corruption affairs, and the arrest of politicians and high-ranking executives, has ignited the debate about the strategic action of law enforcers and the effects produced on democracy and political institutions. Other authors have already focused on the political uses of Law and the consequences of the fight against corruption in Brazil. But after all, what do legal professionals, working inside and outside the administration of justice, think about the people labeled white-collar criminals in the cases they sentence, accuse, and defend? The objective of this work is to advance the research agenda on the point of convergence between Law and Politics by shedding light on the action orientation of members of the justice system.