Politicians in the Pacific Islands are regularly accused of corruption and yet, paradoxically, they also tend to be the most vocal public commentators when incidents of misconduct arise, with accusation and counter-accusation all part of the political theatre. Given their central role in these debates, we ask how politicians interpret political conduct. Based on interviews and public comments, we explore the meanings and beliefs that politicians in Samoa ascribe to three interrelated cases where the actions of their colleagues are under scrutiny. We find a series of divergent and conflicting views. We add to the literature on corruption, both in the Pacific and more generally, by showing how questions about conduct not only vary according to context but are invariably rooted in the cut and thrust of everyday politics, which in this case is dominated by the question of leadership succession.
领袖权力更迭与政治举动失当的精彩大戏：来自萨摩亚群岛的腐败故事
太平洋岛国的政治家们时常会因腐败行为而受到谴责，然而怪异的是，每当有不当政治举动的事件发生时，这些政治家也常常是最大胆直言的公共评论员，他们的各种指控和反指控全都成为政治舞台大戏的情节。鉴于政治家们在这些辩论中的核心地位，我们提出了问题：政治家们是如何阐释政治举动的？利用访谈和公开评论等材料，我们考察了三个相互关联的案例，探讨当自己同僚的政治举动受到公众审视时，萨摩亚群岛政治家们是凭借何种意义和信条对其进行解读的。在这当中我们发现了一系列有歧义以及相互矛盾的观点。我们展示出：政治举动的问题不仅随语境而变化，而且始终深深植根于日常政治生活中贴身肉搏式的斗争中——在本情境中则完全由领袖权力更迭问题所主导；据此我们不仅对太平洋地区、而且在更普遍的意义上为腐败问题研究作出了贡献。
Translated from English by Li Guo
Jack Corbett