Bribery and corruption are widely thought today to be a serious impediment to economic development. This view is reflected in the policies of international financial institutions like the World Bank, national export development banks in OECD countries, the United Nations, and many other international and national institutions and organizations. It is also reflected in mainstream academic research. Nonetheless, a contrarian stream of research has emerged in recent years that argues that corruption in at least in some situations can enhance and does enhance economic development. Commonly cited as examples where this is the case are China, South Korea, the Philippines, and Brazil. All of these countries have experienced rapid economic development even though their economies are infused with corruption. This paper explores the literature that uses quantitative analytical tools that appears to generate findings that indicate that under some conditions corruption can facilitate economic development. This study examines key examples of that literature and concludes that while corruption and rapid economic development can coexist, the suggestion that corruption enhances or can enhance or facilitate economic development is mistaken. The real value of these studies, I suggest, is their potential contribution to shaping effective policies designed to control and minimize corruption in different economic settings.