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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Nov 2006 : 14:06:12
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Today, Transparency International published its annual Corruption Perception Index.
Finland, Iceland, New Zealand and Denmark seem to be the least corrupt countries (ranking 1-4). Congratulations!
The Gambia is ranking 122. of 163, UK 13, Germany 16.
'Corruption champions' (161-163) are Iraq, Myanmar and Haiti.
http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2006/en_2006_11_06_cpi_2006
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Edited by - serenata on 06 Nov 2006 14:11:18 |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2006 : 14:26:27
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SO does corruption have a correlation with poverty? It would seem so.
But the interesting question is why some countries on a SIMILAR wealth level have a different corruption level.Sometimes this is HISTORICAL or POLITICAL. Does the religion of the country make a difference? You would think it SHOULD?! 
ANy theories anyone? |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2006 : 15:02:22
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
SO does corruption have a correlation with poverty? It would seem so.
As anyone can see from the list, corruption correlates with poverty. I think these countries are poor because their elites are corrupt, and this disease proceeds through all hierarchical levels.
The question of religion as a facilitating factor for corruption is interesting. I (as a Catholic ) dare saying that e.g. Catholic countries on the whole are more corrupt than Protestant, though I regard the political system of the USA, a mostly Protestant nation, as highly corrupt (lobbying, party donations, etc.). The Bush administration demonstrates this in an impressing way.
Unfortunately the TI Index does not investigate this institutionalised corruption. |
Edited by - serenata on 06 Nov 2006 15:04:45 |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2006 : 15:13:52
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
SO does corruption have a correlation with poverty? It would seem so.
But the interesting question is why some countries on a SIMILAR wealth level have a different corruption level.Sometimes this is HISTORICAL or POLITICAL. Does the religion of the country make a difference? You would think it SHOULD?!
ANy theories anyone?
i would agree too. it is interesting to see that Nigeria is doing well, i thought it was the most corrupt country in the world. but similar wealth is misleading. if you add the wealth of most of the top contries it wouldn't equal 1/2 the UK or German economies.
but my theory is that a lot of corruption is also 'exported' to poorer countries. Hence a multinational oil company bribing its way in Nigeria would have those 'corrpution points' allocated to Nigeria and not to the company's parent country. both should be penalised.
i think for the top countries it has to do with size of companies and for the bottom countries basic indiscipline.
but the overall pattern is most likely true. something like the Enron scandal will not happen in Finland.
the gap between The Gambia and Senegal shows that their sources are corrupt as well. |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2006 : 16:03:58
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quote:
Originally posted by njucks
but my theory is that a lot of corruption is also 'exported' to poorer countries. Hence a multinational oil company bribing its way in Nigeria would have those 'corrpution points' allocated to Nigeria and not to the company's parent country. both should be penalised.
Very important point. This index needs clearance. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2006 : 17:05:37
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The top few countries have very small populations comparative to their wealth and possibly it it is felt that individuals have a bigger stake in the country, that they are more democratic? Their social services provide well for people so they dont feel a need to be corrupt? Just a theory?!
Also I am interested in the difference between catholic and protestant countries. Italy and Spain have always sort of been known by the sterotype of being more corrupt and this survey seems to be saying that too!
Perhaps the protestant, puritanical ethic has something going forit after all!?
Sereneta it is the chicken and egg argument! Are they poor because they are corrupt or corruupt because they are poor? |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2006 : 17:33:59
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| Bev, I am aware it sounds like the chicken and egg argument. I regard it more as a vicious circle. A corrupt political caste/upper class makes it almost inevitable for the single citizen to be corrupt if he wants to make ends meet. Nigeria is a brillant example. |
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Cornelius
Sweden
1051 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2006 : 08:54:39
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Gambiebev did ask about any correlation between poverty and corruption. Over the past several years there's now an accumulation of exhaustive data ( and discussion of this )including this short article:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200611070014.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_International
I did post this year's index, but lets cast a glance at how things were last year and how things have changed (taking note that this year the Gambia for example was able to provide data in six categoreies/criteria of the survey......for some countries, e.g. Sierra Leone, criteria has only been available in three areas so that although the country is placed, this placing is not based on all the criteria that could have been made available. Perhaps with more available data, a country could get a better or worse placing...... so hats off to Singapore who provided information in TEN areas of the survey!
The 2005 index:
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781359.html
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Edited by - Cornelius on 08 Nov 2006 18:39:33 |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2006 : 19:57:57
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In Niegeria case they did two things,
the government one faced upto the fact that there was corruption and named names and two made officials responsible for taxes and example
in one of the regions when the taxes have been collected the locally mayor or governer of the region is invited on a televison show and asked what was the total collected and what are the plans for the money.
because they have been on tv, they are accountable to the people who voted them in. the president handed the power to the people and said you have elected the officials if you are not happy elect another one. but the officials cannot get away with corruption because they have said what was collected and where it is going
FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
Also they made a decision to collectively cancel the country's debt, a number of minister looked a what had been paid to the country, it was not a secret what they received from UN, world bank, commonwealth and other funds, but what secret was were it went.
a number of officials are awaiting trials but collectively they said enought of taking money from foriegn countries, we have to support ourselfs.
the new finance minister restructed the debt and all the mininsters agreed, it had to be that way otherwise the country woul dnot move forward.
SOME OTHER COUNTRIES SHOULD TRY IT |
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