The Political Economy of Corruption : Causes and Consequences
This Note examines the opportunities for illicit gain that exist in all countries. It asks what factors determine the size and incidence of bribe payments and assesses the political, economic, and distributive consequences of corruption. Bribes a...
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| Format: | Viewpoint |
| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2012
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/1996/04/696655/political-economy-corruption-causes-consequences http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11629 |
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okr-10986-116292021-06-14T10:58:58Z The Political Economy of Corruption : Causes and Consequences Rose-Ackerman, Susan ANTICORRUPTION ANTICORRUPTION STRATEGIES BRIBERY BRIBES CITIZENS CORRUPT COUNTRIES CORRUPTION CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR CRIMINAL LAW CRIMINAL LAWS DEMOCRACY DISCRETION EXTORTION FOREIGN EXCHANGE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS INCOME INTEGRITY LEGISLATURE LEGITIMACY LIVING STANDARDS MALFEASANCE PAYOFFS PENALTIES POLITICAL ECONOMY POLITICAL LEGITIMACY PRESIDENCY PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROSECUTION PUBLIC AGENCIES PUBLIC OFFICIALS PUNISHMENT SMUGGLING STATE ASSETS STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION TAX COLLECTION TAX LAWS TAX PAYMENTS TAX RATES VICTIMS CORRUPTION BRIBERY TAXES DENATIONALIZATION SOCIAL PROBLEMS AUTOCRATIC GOVERNMENT This Note examines the opportunities for illicit gain that exist in all countries. It asks what factors determine the size and incidence of bribe payments and assesses the political, economic, and distributive consequences of corruption. Bribes are paid for two reasons--to obtain government benefits and to avoid costs. There is little evidence on how often officials, private firms, and individuals take advantage of corrupt opportunities and on how much money is paid in bribes. Surveys suggest that where corruption is endemic, it imposes a disproportionately high burden on the smallest firm. But, importantly, the most severe costs are often not the bribes themselves, but the underlying distortions they reveal. Despite the costs of widespread corruption, they are a symptom of disease, not the disease itself. Eliminating corruption makes no sense if the result is a rigid, unresponsive, autocratic government. Instead, anticorruption strategies should seek to improve the efficiency and fairness of government and to enhance the efficiency of the private sector. 2012-08-13T15:34:42Z 2012-08-13T15:34:42Z 1996-04 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/1996/04/696655/political-economy-corruption-causes-consequences Viewpoint. -- Note no. 74 (April 1996) http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11629 English CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ World Bank World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research :: Viewpoint Publications & Research |
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Digital Repository |
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Foreign Institution |
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Digital Repositories |
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World Bank Open Knowledge Repository |
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World Bank |
| language |
English |
| topic |
ANTICORRUPTION ANTICORRUPTION STRATEGIES BRIBERY BRIBES CITIZENS CORRUPT COUNTRIES CORRUPTION CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR CRIMINAL LAW CRIMINAL LAWS DEMOCRACY DISCRETION EXTORTION FOREIGN EXCHANGE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS INCOME INTEGRITY LEGISLATURE LEGITIMACY LIVING STANDARDS MALFEASANCE PAYOFFS PENALTIES POLITICAL ECONOMY POLITICAL LEGITIMACY PRESIDENCY PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROSECUTION PUBLIC AGENCIES PUBLIC OFFICIALS PUNISHMENT SMUGGLING STATE ASSETS STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION TAX COLLECTION TAX LAWS TAX PAYMENTS TAX RATES VICTIMS CORRUPTION BRIBERY TAXES DENATIONALIZATION SOCIAL PROBLEMS AUTOCRATIC GOVERNMENT |
| spellingShingle |
ANTICORRUPTION ANTICORRUPTION STRATEGIES BRIBERY BRIBES CITIZENS CORRUPT COUNTRIES CORRUPTION CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR CRIMINAL LAW CRIMINAL LAWS DEMOCRACY DISCRETION EXTORTION FOREIGN EXCHANGE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS INCOME INTEGRITY LEGISLATURE LEGITIMACY LIVING STANDARDS MALFEASANCE PAYOFFS PENALTIES POLITICAL ECONOMY POLITICAL LEGITIMACY PRESIDENCY PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROSECUTION PUBLIC AGENCIES PUBLIC OFFICIALS PUNISHMENT SMUGGLING STATE ASSETS STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION TAX COLLECTION TAX LAWS TAX PAYMENTS TAX RATES VICTIMS CORRUPTION BRIBERY TAXES DENATIONALIZATION SOCIAL PROBLEMS AUTOCRATIC GOVERNMENT Rose-Ackerman, Susan The Political Economy of Corruption : Causes and Consequences |
| description |
This Note examines the opportunities for
illicit gain that exist in all countries. It asks what
factors determine the size and incidence of bribe payments
and assesses the political, economic, and distributive
consequences of corruption. Bribes are paid for two
reasons--to obtain government benefits and to avoid costs.
There is little evidence on how often officials, private
firms, and individuals take advantage of corrupt
opportunities and on how much money is paid in bribes.
Surveys suggest that where corruption is endemic, it imposes
a disproportionately high burden on the smallest firm. But,
importantly, the most severe costs are often not the bribes
themselves, but the underlying distortions they reveal.
Despite the costs of widespread corruption, they are a
symptom of disease, not the disease itself. Eliminating
corruption makes no sense if the result is a rigid,
unresponsive, autocratic government. Instead,
anticorruption strategies should seek to improve the
efficiency and fairness of government and to enhance the
efficiency of the private sector. |
| format |
Publications & Research :: Viewpoint |
| author |
Rose-Ackerman, Susan |
| author_facet |
Rose-Ackerman, Susan |
| author_sort |
Rose-Ackerman, Susan |
| title |
The Political Economy of Corruption : Causes and Consequences |
| title_short |
The Political Economy of Corruption : Causes and Consequences |
| title_full |
The Political Economy of Corruption : Causes and Consequences |
| title_fullStr |
The Political Economy of Corruption : Causes and Consequences |
| title_full_unstemmed |
The Political Economy of Corruption : Causes and Consequences |
| title_sort |
political economy of corruption : causes and consequences |
| publisher |
World Bank, Washington, DC |
| publishDate |
2012 |
| url |
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/1996/04/696655/political-economy-corruption-causes-consequences http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11629 |
| _version_ |
1764417428873281536 |