Political mistrust of institutions and the discrediting of political elites are intersecting phenomena, sometimes to the point of being indistinguishable, in sociological analysis. Corruption is one of the key reasons for mistrusting political elites, and political mistrust is widespread, as demonstrated by survey data from some fifty countries, most of which are in Europe, but which also include the United States, and all the Latin American countries. The phenomenon is also confirmed by examples of infamous public figures, particularly in France and Italy. The frequent politico-financial scandals can be explained by the vulnerability of political elites. The implication of a politician in a corrupt activity, whether by the courts or by the media, in many cases signifies a civil death sentence.