The corruption fetish

We can read on the USAID web site (which is “From the American people”) that:

In broad terms, USAID focuses on corruption as the misuse of public office for private gain. It encompasses abuses by government officials such as embezzlement and nepotism, as well as abuses linking public and private actors such as bribery, extortion, influence peddling, and fraud. Corruption arises in both political and bureaucratic offices and can be petty or grand, organized or unorganized. Though corruption often facilitates criminal activities such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and prostitution, it is not restricted to these activities.
For purposes of understanding the problem and devising remedies, it is important to think of crime and corruption as two separate problems. Corruption poses a serious development challenge. In the political realm, it can seriously undermine democracy and good governance. Corruption in elections and in legislative bodies reduces accountability and representation in policymaking; corruption in the judiciary suspends the rule of law; and corruption in public administration results in the unequal provision of services. (USAID: “Fighting Corruption”)

The USAID’s concern is not corruption in the USA, but the Christian Science Monitor is concerned with the USA, and the FBI’s investigation of US corruption, when we read:

Public corruption is now one of the bureau’s top investigative priorities, behind only terrorism, espionage, and cybercrimes, according to official statements. The Blagojevich case has captured national headlines, but recent investigations have also targeted lower-profile politicians. These politicians include Massachusetts state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, who was arrested in October on charges that she accepted $20,000 in cash as payment for the introduction of legislation. “I think some politicians get a sense of entitlement after they’ve been in office a long time,” says Wendy Schiller, an associate professor of political science and public policy at Brown University. “They deal with lots of wealthy people and they think, ‘Why can’t I live like that?’” In historical terms, high-level political corruption today is less than it used to be, says Professor Schiller, who studies the subject. Prior to the Progressive Era at the turn of the 20th century, which led to public Senate elections, paying for a Senate seat was not uncommon. In 1899, hoping to be appointed senators from Montana, W.G. Conrad and William Clark laid out $1 million in bribes apiece. ( “The Blagojevich case signals the need for vigilance by citizens, too, to eye the corrupt”, Christian Science Monitor, 11 December 2008)

Corruption cannot be condoned either in developing countries or in the USA (and other “developed” countries), but perhaps a little more humility is in order on the part of those in developed countries who argue that aid to countries in Africa, say, is wasted because of corruption in recipient countries.

The linkage between corruption and poor governance is well established. Corruption undermines the economic and political foundations of a modern state and hinders the growth of trade and investment needed for development. This is particularly true in Africa, where fragile public institutions, weak civil society organizations, the lack of an independent judiciary, inadequately paid civil servants, and hiring and promotion systems that are not merit-based all interact to create a climate in which corruption can flourish. (USAID: “USAID’s Anti-Corruption Initiative in Africa”)