Comparative Study Of Corruption Study Essay Example for Free

Comparative Study Of Corruption Study Es hypothesiseABSTRACT Having Nordic countries systematically on slip by of the CPIs least purchase countries for years, there must be something in this nuance and usance that make them highly regarded as having a clean and in effect(p) disposal. Based on the 2006 Corruption cognition Index, Finland and Iceland atomic number 18 the transcend two least corrupt countries while Haiti and Burma hailed as the two close to(prenominal) corrupt countries in the world.This paper aims to find the reasons why these countries were in their current position in the CPI by comparing their government system, subtlety and tradition. This paper also aims to find solid evidences that will prove that the culture of corruptness is not a matter of effective and efficient policies but on the culture of uncompromising implementation of such policies, the moral and ethical standards of the plenty and the collective concern of the people to their cou ntry. A apprise background of the 2006 CPI report is included in the first part of this paper. A separate section, discussing impregnable the different elements which may contribute to each countrys culture of corruption is the main pore of this paper. Data from competent writers and qualified analysts were comp atomic number 18d in order to make readers further netherstand the economic, political and societal status of each country. A brief conclusion is also included, summarizing the main points of comparison between countries. emphasize ON CPIs 2006 RESULTS In the 2006 Corruption Perception Index, Finland emerged on top as the least corrupt country in the world, scoring 9.6 out of the 10 clean score. Scoring equally atomic number 18 Iceland and vernal Zealand. In the CPI 2006 published by the Transpargonncy International, Haiti turned out to be the most corrupt of the 163 countries involved in the study scoring only 1.8 while slightly on top is Myanmar with 1.9 score. If we ar to look into the previous CPI results, we can see that the top Finland and other Nordic countries, Iceland and New Zealand dupe been consistently on the five least corrupt countries. The question here is who or what makes a country the least or the most corrupt country in the world?The CPI is a composite index which customs survey results from business people and country analysts as with their assessment and perception of corruption among state-supported officials and political figures (J.G. Lambsdorff). This means that the CPI is considered as a competent and reliable material considering that it makes use of qualified people in assessing the existence of corruption. It utilizes different sets of polls relative to perception of corruption, had them compiled and analyzed forrader it came up with the figures published in the CPI. In 2006, Transp bency International made use of 112 sets of polls and survey from independent bodies listed below Freedom House Nations in Transi t Economist Intelligence Unit fall in Nations Commission for Africa World Economic Forum World Markets Research C recruit (London) Merchant International conclave Limited (London) Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (Hong Kong) International Institute for Management and Development (Laussane) Country insurance and Institutional Assessment (IDA and IBRD of World Bank) It is also important to note that bribery among creation officials and servants is one of the study factors considered by analysts as the major indicator of corruption. Political culture and political institutions determine the level of corruption (P. Tiihonen). It is therefore but fair enough to conclude that corruption begins when bribery is tolerated by anyone in the government or any public office.To have a deeper understanding of corruption, we will try to compare two of the most corrupt countries in the world with that of the two least corrupt countries using different areas and aspects. By doing so, we wi ll be able to assess what factors make Finland and Icelands government clean and the factors that brought Haiti and Myanmar on top of the list of the most corrupt countries.ELEMENTS THAT MAKE A COUNTRY CLEAN OR CORRUPTpolitical science and Political System Finland has the culture of earnest governance. Based on the political structure of Finland, we can say that it has one of the best, if not the best system of government. First, Finland is a country that does not recognize social class. This is what they referred to as Egalitarian Society where everyone, regardless of social status is given equal opportunity to avail of the operate of the government and to be of service to the people (Tiihonen).Education is compulsory, women are given the full even ups for suffrage and political participation as candidates, pension is provided for all citizens who reached 65 years old, wellnesscare services are bare(a) for everyone and education is free from basic to higher education. If all pe ople are able to experience this assortment of welfare in their country, it would be far from their means of finding comfort to bribe and accept bribe.Nordic countries like Finland and Iceland live up to their political culture of transparency and corruption free rules of order2. Considering the legal material of Finland, one can immediately conclude that their government is serious with combating corruption as bribery, which includes both freehanded and accepting bribe, is a criminal offense (Criminal Code R1 101/19.12.89). For them money, jewelry, household, special or low matter to loans, trips, honorary titles and recommendations are forms of bribes (J. Brady). Nordic countries also have the collective decision structure, wherein decisions are in the reach of a collegiate body making hard for bribery to be tolerated.In complete contrast, Haiti is a country of faltering democratic institutions and unstable political situation making it the poorest country in the Americas5. novel reports involved government officials in the issue of drug trafficking, particularly the Presidential Security Unit and the rook Guard4. Reported incidents of violence against anti-government demonstrators, said to be demanding to better public services like water and highways, are clear indicators of the countrys political instability.Growing counts of human rights violations and the Aristedes governments slight for the peoples license of expression are regarded by analysts as political humanitarian calamity (J. Regan). Another indicator of the countrys unclean government is the incident of credit union pyramid scheme involving banks which money allegedly came from drug money. It turned out later that the scheme is a gip where the government promised to pay depositors who lost $200 million dollars and so far has not yet been fulfilled6.As with Myanmar, political instability is not too obvious as that of Haiti. A political observer, in his denomination entitled Magnific ent, Troubled Myanmar the writer described the country as beautiful, tragic, natural, and chaotic place7. In his article, he made mention of the peoples fear of the government by exigently avoiding discussion or making comments about their government even by merely consorting foreigners. In this situation, we can say that freedom and civilized liberty is not honored by the government of Myanmar.As with corruption, the author stressed the naughtily low income of the people of the country, with as low as half a dollar per day for most citizens. Considering their 883% literacy rate, this is a tragic economic situation. Based on this situation alone, corruption, especially bribery is highly expected. In fact, Myanmars public servants have negative real earnings (M. Maung). According to Maung, the iniquities in Burma today are driving its people into corruption. Such iniquities include 9the growing power and wealth of the military rulers at the write down of impoverished masses, the sub-human conditions and plight of hundreds of thousands of displaced refugees stranded along Burmas borders.Ethical and Moral Standards In Nordic countries like Finland and Iceland, to be a public servant means to of real service to the public. Civil servants in these countries take haughtiness of being a member of a generally honest government. For Finnish society, having a good take a leak means a lot so they really do their best to avoid being accuse of any malpractice especially that of related to dishonesty (P. Tiihonen).The Finnish society also maintained their administrative culture of creating efficient civil servants by reserving senior civil service post to lawyers or at least those who earned degrees in law10. The government of Finland also gives its civil servants the responsibility for every decision and action they make. They are left independent in their tasks and do their individual duties with the least supervisory intervention. This is the reason why Finnish gov ernment employs highly- educated individuals in the civil service posts11.Highly in contrast is the situation in the Burmese civil society. In a country as poor as Burma, to accept bribe is a matter of practicality. Bribery is normal in their everyday life where even the service of a electrician needs bribe. Accepting bribe for them is of being resourceful7. Like the people of Burma, Haiti citizens are evidently of low esprit de corps since most of them do not take courage to express their dislike and frustrations to their government. The continuing reports of chaos and demonstrations of fewer brave citizens are indications that these people resort to violence just to seek for the governments attention. spirit of Life Finland is a moral and welfare society where almost everyone enjoys a comfortable life. With free education, pension, health care benefits and honest and dedicated civil servants, I would say that Finnish people might have been the luckiest people in the world. They enjoy their civil rights and political freedoms especially in participating in public issues. For them, everything that concerns the public must be open to all citizens.This means that they are all given the right to question any government policy or decision. Even diaries and records concerning public transactions are literally open to everybody2. Finland also takes pride of their culture of being environment friendly. For them, taking care of their natural resources are powerful means of maintaining their economic edge. As evidence Finland still tops the Environmental Sustainability Index along with Norway, Canada and Sweden11.Considering violence in Haiti and the severe poverty in Burma, it is evident that their citizens are far from enjoying a good quality of life. Political instability, rampant and open bribery, environmental degradation and disrespect of individual freedom are the frustrating realities of life of the people of Haiti and Burma. With widespread unemployment and a negative real wage for most people, Burma is a picture of a real poor country whose government does not seem to care for its people. destruction By comparing the two least corrupt and two most corrupt countries in the world, ground on the 2006 Corruption Perception Index, we were able to have an idea of how these countries differ on several areas. In our analysis of such areas we were able to draw some information that relates to their system of government and their philosophies which somehow bushel their stand in the issue of corruption. To summarize the major points of comparison, Nordic countries like Finland and Iceland have the following philosophies for a corruption-free societyNordic countries strictly do not tolerate dishonesty especially corruption, a rationale they call ethicality.Finland and other Nordic countries strictly implement transparency on public records and transactions by literally opening all pubic documents to every citizen. The government also opens its door to criticisms and regard public administration as privilege being a member of an honest and highly regarded circle of civil servants.The Finnish governments collective decision structure makes it hard for bribery and corruption to enter into the system.Nordic countries maintain a low hierarchical structure where civil servants are highly educated and were left independent and individually responsible for their decisions and actions. This structure also encourages civil servants to maintain a good status in the society by having a clean name.Nordic countries legacy of egalitarian society ensures that every citizen enjoys the benefits of being a citizen of a moral and welfare society.In contrast, this paper have presented the proofs of Haiti and Burmas political instability, severe poverty, absence of political and civil rights and the governments lack of concern for its people as causes and at the same time indicators of their corrupt government. By comparing the political and economic situations of the quadruplet countries, we were able to find out that corruption is not a matter of policy and laws but the strict implementation of it. Also, that poverty is not an indicator of corruption but a reflection of it. Making Finland as a perfect example, the world must make considerable efforts in implementing its laws and begin to nurture an honest society starting at the public administration.REFERENCES1Transparency International.Corruptions Perception Index 2006. Retrieved on July 14, 2007 from http//www.transparency.org/publications/gcr/download_gcr192Nordics least Corrupted Nations in the World Retrieved on July 14, 2007 from http//www.scandinavica.com/culture/society/corruption.htm4Jamaica Still Leading Caribbean do drugs RouteCNN News. March 01, 2003. Retrieved on July 14, 2007 from http//www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americas/03/01/drugs.caribbean.reut/index.html5Haiti Tops World Corruption Table BBC News. November 06, 2006. Retrieved on July 14, 2007 from htt p//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6120522.stm6Aid To Haiti is Unfrozen, but Corruption and Chaos Remain Retrieved on July 14, 2007 from http//www.allbusiness.com/central-america/289066-1.html?yahss=114-2974554-2890667Magnificent, Troubled Myanmar Retrieved on July 14, 2007 from http//www.vagabonding.com/travelogue/000038.html8Myanmar Retrieved on July 14, 2007 from http//www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107808.html9Maung, Maya. The State of Burmese Economy under Military Management Retrieved on July 14, 2007 from http//www.ibiblio.org/obl/docs/HRDU%201995/The%20state%20of%20Burmese%20Economy.htm10Brady, Joe. Corruption-Nearly None at All Retrieved on July 14, 2007 from http//virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=2589211Tiihonen, Paula. Good organisation and Corruption in Finland Retrieved on July 14 2007 from http//virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=25891Lambsdorff, Johann Graf. The Corruptions Perceptions Index 2006. Pages 324-330Lavers ,Tom. The G lobal Corruption Barometer pg. 13Finland Ranks as Least Corrupt CNN News. October 08, 2003. Retrieved on July 14 2007 from http//www.cnn.com/2003/BUSINESS/10/08/corruption.index/index.html