KORRUPTION ODER PATRONAGE?

The article discusses French-Swiss relations in the early modern period, focusing on four points including the influence of the French king on Swiss politics through secret payments, criticism raised at the time against these payments. The author argues that anti-corruption sentiment was prevalent at the time, using research by Sharon Kettering to show that patronage systems bred high levels of corruption and protest, and contends that the historical phenomenon of secret influence in the higher social ranks of Europe should be understood as reflecting both patronage and corruption.