A: Ladies and gentlemen - the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Here are your runners-up for most corrupt nation on earth: weighing in at number 3, we have the former French colony Haiti (better luck next year, my friend). And it looks like the judges have awarded the #2 prize to Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country (go get ‘em, tiger). And now for #1 - the most corrupt nation on earth (drum roll please): beautiful Bangladesh! (well done, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia).
What we have just unveiled here are the rankings prepared by the nongovernmental watchdog group Transparency International. So how corrupt is our repeat victor, Bangladesh? Well, in the capital of Dhakar, you can barely walk a block without coming face-to-face with graft: residents have to pay the postman to get their mail; bus drivers pay cops to let them drive their routes; victims of crime have to pay the cops to have someone arrested; doctors take bribes to dispense medicine; meter readers get their palms greased for keeping energy bills low; even stray canines slip dog-catchers cash to steer clear of the pound (okay, that last one we made up, but you get the idea).
It’s estimated that 6% of the nation’s GNP is spent on corruption; not that hard to believe when you realize that the unemployment rate hovers at around 70%. So get ready to place your bets for next year’s “most corrupt nation on earth” contest. The smart money’s on Bangladesh; most likely they even bribed their way to lock it.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Arch Conservative
Wow what a loaded question.
I know that very shortly all of the far left America hating riffraff will be posting saying that the answer to your question is the USA. So I'll offer a preemptive collective FUCK YOU to all of those vermin.
The USA is not even the most corrupt nation in North America. That honor obviously goes to Mexico, The third world shithole [Personal attack deleted].
2 - Christopher Rose
Actually, Bing, The USA is "deteriorating". Two years ago, when I wrote about the then latest Transparency International Corruption Index, it was the 17th least corrupt country. Now, in the 2006 Corruption Index, it is down to 20th place. Oh the shame!
3 - Arch Conservative
Well is still has such a long way to go to catch up to the level of curruption in Mexico, it's neighbor.
The thing that irks me most is that mexican officials have publicly made statements telling the US that we cannot build a wall or attempt to keep people from entering the US illegally from Mexico.
Can you imagine the uproar there would be id prominent American officials told Canadians what they could or could not do on thier own borders?
4 - Christopher Rose
The USA is a great country, Arch, and one to be proud of, but telling other countries what to do? That's one of your politicos' favourite pastimes and they do it all the time! Of course, it's true for all other countries too, but the USA does have a very powerful and influential voice to go with its immodesty...
5 - moonraven
And can you imagine what Canada would do if the US started building a wall on the common border?
A little perspective, please--even from those whose heads are in their rectum.
Mexico has nothing on the former soviet republics and most of the Middle eastern countries in terms of corruption. I am sure there are folks here that will now try harder to be more corrupt, but...those are the breaks.
6 - Zedd
I think these are countries that are corrupt within their own boarders. I am shocked that there is a place on this planet that is more corrupt than Nigeria. SCARY!!
Is there a ranking for must internationally corrupt?
7 - Matthew T. Sussman
I figured it'd be Kyruptistan.
8 - P. Marlowe
As if any of us, in any country can feel good because we're only ranked XX on the list...
Let's not forget that in America (a little present for you Arch, I know you've been dying to type another string of explatives) a lot of "corruption" is in essense written into the regulations of our fair cities, counties, states and nation. It is euphamistically called "doing business".
We all know that Cheney's old employer is techincally doing nothing wrong with moving to Dubai. And I'm sure they haven't "broken" the law in Iraq, not with the foul meat they served our men and women serving there, nor with the billions or our tax dollars gone missing.
There is a vast number of things that happen each day in this country that are morally and ethically wrong but "perfectly" legal. How's that?
Wasn't it odd to watch federal prosecutors slave away for YEARS in order to finally be able to garner SOME convictions in the Enron scandal? It was glaringly apparent to every observer with an ounce of moral and ethical fiber that outright "crimes" had been committed. Yet so much of what was done was "technically" not breaking this law or that... Why? Because of laws that were put into place by powerful men with vested interests in companies such as Enron...
We're all on the damn list. And it's a ridiculous list. It's the equivalent of one leper being ever so proud that he has the least leprosy in the whole colony...
9 - alessandro Nicolo
Lots of corruption in Canada too - including Quebec. Mexico takes the cake in North America. Interesting points by Arch and P. Marlowe. There's certainly a lot of wink,wink. Some countries mask it better than others. They go under the civilized category. Still, relative to its size and strength America is tame.
10 - Howard Dratch
Arch is always down on Mexico. Here Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Haiti get the prizes and the bribes and, instead of heaping glory on them, he turns on Mexico.
I worked in Chicago in '67 in a law firm friendly with Mayor Daley and the Mob. They prepared me for Mexico. I learned, young college student that I was, how to fold bills into little squares that fit into the palm of my hand. A valuable talent in some places. Even in the good ole USA.
The big question is the expectations of cultures. We, in America, are saved by the expectation of honesty. We know it won't be universal but we keep hoping. These other countries like Pakistan, Haiti, Cameroon, Mexico do not have such expectations. Theirs is that their systems will work because the machinations of society are lubricated with the grease of modern life -- money and power. It works until something comes along that bribes can't manipulate -- Hurricane Katrina, for example. Then the corruption that didn't prepare and can't respond becomes public -- but the lives have already been lost.
At least they expect it. It always comes as a shock to us.
11 - RJ
In the US, bribery of a government official is a serious crime (as is accepting a bribe if you are a government official). However, in scores of countries (including Mexico) it is the normal (and accepted) way of doing business.
Western countries, with the Western sense of fairness and democracy, and the Western concept of the rule-of-law, are not perfect, but are much better off. Just look at the map!
The US, Canada, Australia, France, New Zealand, the UK, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Austria, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Uruguay, and Chile are the least corrupt countries in the world. AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE COUNTRIES IS A PART OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION!
Now, I don't know how many of you go to University, but I can assure you that a large number (probably a majority) of the professors there will do their best to indoctrinate their students into an anti-Western worldview. Our Universities are doing their best to churn out brainwashed young "skulls full of mush" that are predisposed to hating their own society and culture. This study is one reason why we should fight that.
12 - alessandro Nicolo
I noticed France in your list but no Italy, RJ. Italy is a strange case indeed and corruption may be in the style described by Hpward (great thoughts Mr. Dratch) and yourself. However, Italy does adhere to the rule of law when it counts. In many ways, France and Italy (Spain also) practice the same form of Western Latin corruption. Italy is also a highly sophisticated and civilized society. Lists will never show this. Also, I would submit there is a light percpetion trompe d'oeil. We are condtioned to think that Northern Europe is less vulnerabl to corruption and in many cases (and on average) it is. However, Belgium, Holland, Germany and England have all been hit with scandals and corruption over the years that would make headlines had it been some "other" country.
13 - Arch Conservative
"Arch is always down on Mexico. Here Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Haiti get the prizes and the bribes and, instead of heaping glory on them, he turns on Mexico."
I was just using Mexico as a comparison for the US in North America Howard. I'm not always downing Mexico. Most of the time I've forgotten that Mexico even exists. I just find it amusing how Moonraven constantly compares Mexico to the US and says that Mexico is such a better nation in every respect. Anyone who is not an anti-American scumbag themself can see that Moonraven is damaged goods.
14 - moonraven
No damaged goods here, cretinous cataleptic Arch.
You're down on everything that has LIFE because you are a dead downer.
There ain't no life in the US.
15 - Zedd
RJ
Now, I don't know how many of you go to University, but I can assure you that a large number (probably a majority) of the professors there will do their best to indoctrinate their students into an anti-Western worldview. Our Universities are doing their best to churn out brainwashed young "skulls full of mush" that are predisposed to hating their own society and culture. This study is one reason why we should fight that.
I think you highly mistake an introduction into an objective world view as an attack. We are ethnocentric by nature. In other words, we are wired to think that everything that we do is best. What an education does is open your mind. It introduces you to other ways that things are done. It tells you other people's perspective. It also tells you the whys as apposed to simply cheer leading. Those who don't have a strong social science aptitude don't understand that.
Also with our history of destroying other cultures because of our diminished understanding of those society, it is imperative that we become well educated regarding who we are in relation to the rest of the world.
16 - Zedd
I think that the Japanese would not see themselves as Western.
17 - Zedd
RJ
I find it interesting that the countries that you list have a history of trampling other people in a genocidal way. Perhaps this is something to explore.
18 - STM
Zedd: "I think that the Japanese would not see themselves as Western."
No, and hoo-bloody-ray to that. Any country that sells what it does in public vending machines should be ostracised by the civilised world until it replaces them with chocolate bars.
19 - alessandro nicolo
"I think you highly mistake an introduction into an objective world view as an attack.."
I agree with some of what you said, Zedd....but...
If you believe University/College to be "objective" then I have some usable land to sell you in Nunavut. ;<)
Some of the stupidest things I have ever heard in class came from the mouths of over articulate educators who are too cool for Western culture.
They teach, not all mind you, intellectual relativism.
That's why I will always appreciate one Prof. Hermann (God rest his soul). Not that I had any student/teacher relationship with him (he was a cool, callous German thinker) but his approach was sooo refreshing. In other words, he had no qualms with telling it like it is - if your counry sucked he said it - and it made all the liberal/do-gooding pea brains squirm like little worms. I loved it.
As for us destroying cultures, it is interesting that apparently only the West has done this according to some when in fact cultures - rightly or wrongly - of all types on all continents have been colliding and conquering one another for thousands of years. It's not just a nation-state phenomena - it's a human evolution one. We're all a product of races. Cripes, Europe is nothing but a clash of civilizations. An Italian literally has Celtic, Norman, Moor, Lombard, Gothic, Etruscan, Roman etc. running through his or her vein. That blood was not created by treaties alone but by war also. There is no pure race. So, should Italians - or any other culture for that matter- complain?
What is most appaling is that now people who feel they were conquered have the right to use this for political purposes/gain - see Mexican immigration and the illegals holding up signs about American genocide. American history is not perfect but how dare some throw it in their faces? In my opinion, it's a pointless discussion with no teeth.
One last thing: what do I know?
20 - Arch Conservative
Allesandro......the more of your posts I read the more of an appreciation I have for you.
You seem capable of being objective and honest in your posts, something many on BC are entirely incapable of.
You're a breath of fresh air and I look foward to reading more of your posts.
21 - Michael J. West
Funny you don't mention Singapore in your list of Least Corrupted, RJ. The survey that Mental Floss mentions here--the one that ranks Bangladesh as the most corrupt--ranks Singapore as 5th on its "Least Corrupt" list.
The top 4, btw, are Iceland, Finland, New Zealand, and Denmark.
Obviously Western civilization is better represented on that list, but it's only fair to point out that there's obviously a model of uncorrupted government in the East as well, and that not EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE COUNTRIES that are least corrupted, is a part of Western civilization.
22 - moonraven
Just for the record,
ALL EDUCATION IS POLITICAL.
23 - alessandro Nicolo
Thanks Arch.
Moonraven, not according to the Ancient Greeks and Italian Humanists. Second-rate insitutions make it political.
24 - moonraven
The quote was from Paulo Friere.
Show me a situation where education is NOT political.
Who decides what should be taught and for which academic credit wil be given?
Think about it--before you shoot off your mouth.
25 - alessandro Nicolo
I learn to shoot my mouth off form the best - you've made it an art form.
See? Was it so hard to cite something? Something tells me if you soften up, perhaps readers can learn some thing from you. You're so busy huffing and puffing no one cares to care about what you say.
I meant that to them education was best to be taught free of politics.