Este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar a corrupção e sua intrÃnseca relação com a desigualdade polÃtica. Partimos da premissa que a “pequena†corrupção segundo definição de Arnold Heidnheimer, como o clientelismo e a troca de favores que ocorrem na polÃtica brasileira, são elementos que contribuem para a manutenção da estrutura de desigualdade na medida em que as classes menos favorecidas participam dos benefÃcios dessa corrupção, em troca de votos. Essas práticas têm contribuÃdo para a manutenção da desigualdade social e polÃtica no Brasil.    
The purpose of this study is to examine corruption and the intrinsic relationship to political inequality. On the assumption that .petty. corruption, like patronage and the exchange of favors, that occurs in Brazilian politics, are factors that contribute to the maintenance of the structure of inequality in that the lower classes participate in the benefits of corruption in exchange for votes. We conclude that such practices have contributed to the maintenance of social and political inequality in Brazil because of the difficulty to understand such practices as corrupt. The methodology used was survey on corruption, carried out in 2004 and 2008. The theoretical framework upholds on the typology presented by Arnold Heidenheimer on the perception of corruption.
