It sounds like a Monty Python routine but it’s a real organization in Berlin and maybe even a good one. At least I hope it is. I like what its CEO David Nussbaum has to say:
“Corruption isn’t a natural disaster: it is the cold, calculated theft of opportunity from the men, women and children who are least able to protect themselves. Leaders must go beyond lip service and make good on their promises to provide the commitment and resources to improve governance, transparency and accountability.”
From his lips to Kofi’s ears. Meanwhile, TI (Transparency International) has announced their annual list of corruption levels for 159 nations. Chad and Bengladesh rank at the bottom. Iceland is the cleanest place (it’s those glaciers). The US at 17 could do better. France and Hong Kong, you may be pleased to learn, are improving.
They also have an amusing/blood-curdling (depending on your outlook) Bribe Payers Index or BPI.
I checked the TPI list. I did not see the United Nations there. Well it might be somewhat of a self evaluation as some of the sources seem to be UN related, it would be interesting to see where the UN stands on this list, especially since it pretends to moral standing and government status.
If you do not have a sense of the accuracy of these folks in foreign countries, you need only to look at Louisiana. Poverty is the result of corruption.
AMP,
Poverty is the result of corruption.
I would agree, or perhaps say that poverty is aggravated by corruption, among other things. (BTW, it’s rather odd that we don’t really have a good “theory of poverty.” As far as I know, anyway.)
Ralph Peters observes:
“Corruption is the most seductive activity humans can indulge in with their clothes on,” or words to that efffect.
Last night I was privileged to have dinner with a brilliant Indian interventional cardiologist. I was rather surprised to learn from him how corrupt India is. In fact, he came to this country in part to escape that problem. At one point he said to us, “People in this country don’t realize how good things are.”
I replied: “I do!” But I haven’t always realized it. I once thought like a lefty. (That is, like a child.)
Jamie Irons
Hmmm …
TI fails their own transparency test. All they seem to say about their survey is that it is based on opinions of business leaders and other analysts.
The US is relatively low-ranking, and it is a mystery to me why this would be so. Compare to Canada, for instance: They seem (to me) to have a higher rate of governmental corruption than the US and, in my experience, the rate of business corruption seems no better than the US (remember we should consider the relative incidence of corruption, not its absolute rate). Does the US’s ranking reflect a relatively few notable occurrences that have made the big headlines? I’d be willing to bet it does.
This study is too unscientific to mean much. The only conclusions we can make from it is that third world toilets are third world toilets and the first world is first rate. Hardly news.
Kevin Smith
When corruption is successful it is imposssible to measure scientifically.
Having worked around the world for over 20 years I can confirm that the TI method is as accurate as any that has been devised. For sure, I know that businessmen are quite aware of relative corruption.
I agree with you that the US ranking seems hard to understand. But I have heard that bidding on state construction contracts may be difficult in some states. And how is it that the government simply refuses to enforce immigration laws? Maybe the survey respondents see things I have not seen myself. Or maybe the European survey depends on more international folks than we would expect. They might have included Michael Moore!
Transparency!?!? Sounds like Greenspan.
Well this would be the one time I’d be in favor of a German organization invading a country-oh say…SWITZERLAND-and imposing their belief.
Where the hell are the Swiss on this index?
There are some theories on poverty and warmer climates seem more plighted with it. Also with corruption-look at the bottom of the list and they are all warmer environs safe perhaps Tajikistan.
Canada comes in as less corrupt than the US-but a larger more ungainly political system would be more vulnerable to corruption because you have a more diluted locus of control then given that United States is behind some rather small countries-population wise.
Kevin Smith:
As for Canada being more corrupt-wow I almost want to bet that you are either doing business with Quebec or the Maritimes.
If you do business with all the provinces are the Western ones any better? Interesting.
PS-note to Claudia Rosett on the Oil for Food story-maybe she should sex it up or something- if she had film of Kofi rolling naked in oil vouchers-….wait, Villepen, oh gawd no um Chirac? Yazooo this is getting ugly…
Also-shoot-as a Catholic-I have to rat this out-there is a theory that corruption is more prevelant in Catholic countries because of the practice of tithing or buying your soul’s salvation. Whatever that was called-tithing isn’t exactly right.
Also because of the centralized system of authority that goes with the Catholic Church hierarchy.
I felt like withholding that info-but then the old Catholic guilt trip thing kicked in-special.
Notice that this is an index of perceived corruption. So, countries where people are more willing to admit problems in their country end up slightly lower than other countries with similar corruption levels. In my experience, Americans are generally more willing to admit problems in their own country than Europeans. (Not sure about US vs. Canada.) This might be contributing to the relatively low ranking of US.
madawaskan:
You said, “As for Canada being more corrupt-wow I almost want to bet that you are either doing business with Quebec or the Maritimes.”
Actually, you’ll note I referred specifically to *governmental* corruption as being, in my opinion, worse up north and said that I didn’t think the incidence of business corruption was any different.
Regards.
To all:
I think the best way to measure a nation’s corruption is to ask a wide sample of its citizens. The poll can be anonymous and in-depth.
To ask only local businessmen (who themselves may engage in corrupt practices) and self-identified experts practically guarantees skewed results. The principle of “GIGO” will reign supreme.
Well-I’m telling you Quebec is a Seperatist issue just ask Chretan and Martin about their personalized balls….
Regards!