This paper examines the causes of corruption using data from business risk surveys for the 1980s and 1990s. It finds that countries with Protestant traditions, histories of British rule, more developed economies, and higher imports are less corrupt. Federal states are more corrupt, and long-term exposure to democracy is associated with lower corruption. Trade openness may also reduce corruption, though the direction of causation is unclear. The study uses three annual corruption indexes from Transparency International (TI) and an index from Business International (BI) to analyze the data. Multiple regression analyses show that legal systems, colonial heritage, economic development, and political institutions are significant factors in perceived corruption. The findings suggest that historical and institutional factors are as important as current policies in explaining corruption levels. The study also highlights the importance of legal culture, particularly in former British colonies, and the role of political stability and economic development in reducing corruption. Overall, the results indicate that corruption is influenced by a complex interplay of historical, legal, economic, and political factors.This paper examines the causes of corruption using data from business risk surveys for the 1980s and 1990s. It finds that countries with Protestant traditions, histories of British rule, more developed economies, and higher imports are less corrupt. Federal states are more corrupt, and long-term exposure to democracy is associated with lower corruption. Trade openness may also reduce corruption, though the direction of causation is unclear. The study uses three annual corruption indexes from Transparency International (TI) and an index from Business International (BI) to analyze the data. Multiple regression analyses show that legal systems, colonial heritage, economic development, and political institutions are significant factors in perceived corruption. The findings suggest that historical and institutional factors are as important as current policies in explaining corruption levels. The study also highlights the importance of legal culture, particularly in former British colonies, and the role of political stability and economic development in reducing corruption. Overall, the results indicate that corruption is influenced by a complex interplay of historical, legal, economic, and political factors.