Rank, strain, and corruption among Chinese public officials: A general strain theory perspective.

The problem of corruption has long been a societal focus in China. Agnew's general strain theory (GST) offers a good explanation of the drive to engage in corruption; that is, offenders are likely to be driven by various types of strains and engage in corrupt behavior as a coping mechanism. However, whether and how an official's rank moderates the effect of strain on corrupt behavior has yet to be explored.