Is Corruption Curable? (eBook)

Khalid Sekkat is Full Professor of Economics at the University of Brussels, Belgium, and Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Technics in Morocco. He has previously published around 10 books and several of his articles on development economics have appeared in leading journals including the Journal of International Economics and the Journal of Development Economics.

Contents 6
Abbreviations 8
List of Tables 10
Introduction 11
Part I Corruption, Extent, Causes and Consequences 15
1 Definition, Amount, and Coverage 19
1Definition 19
1.1Public Officials 20
1.2Illegality 22
1.3Payments and Benefits 24
2Amount 25
3Coverage 27
4Politics 28
4.1Bureaucracy 30
4.2Justice 33
4.3Media 35
4.4Education 38
4.5Medical 41
4.6Water 43
5Conclusion 46
References 47
2 Measurement Issues 52
1Measurement Issues 53
2Selected Indicators 55
2.1Corruption Perceptions Index 55
2.2International Country Risk Guide 56
2.3Worldwide Governance Indicators 57
2.4World Enterprise Surveys 58
2.5Criticisms 59
2.6Comparative Analysis of the Indicators 62
3Perception Versus Experience 66
3.1Reasons for the Divergence 66
3.2Evidence of Divergence 68
4Persistence of Corruption 72
4.1Evidence of Persistence 74
4.2Explanations of Persistence: Conceptual Discussion and Empirical Evidence 77
5Conclusion 80
References 81
3 Causes 83
1Conceptual Analysis 84
1.1Characteristics of the Country: Geography and History 84
1.2Characteristics of Institutions: Democracy, Functioning of Democracy, and Decentralization 86
1.3Characteristics of the Society and Citizens: Culture, Values, and Gender 88
1.4Characteristics of the Economy: Regulatory Quality, Economic Competition, and Economic Development 89
1.5Characteristics of the Corruption System: Systemic Corruption 90
2Empirical Evidence 91
2.1Characteristics of the Country: Geography and History 94
2.2Characteristics of Institutions: Democracy, Functioning of Democracy, and Decentralization 100
2.3Characteristics of the Society and Citizens: Culture, Values, and Gender 103
2.4Characteristics of the Economy: Regulatory Quality, Economic Competition, and Economic Development 119
2.5Characteristics of the Corruption System: Systemic Corruption 122
3Conclusion 126
References 127
4 Consequences 131
1Conceptual Analysis 131
1.1Unconditional Economic Effects 132
1.2Unconditional Non-economic Effects 135
1.3Conditional Effects: “Greasing” Versus “Sanding” the Wheels 136
2Evidence: Economic Effects 140
2.1Unconditional Effects 141
2.2Conditional Effects 149
3Evidence: Non-economic Effects 155
4Conclusion 165
References 167
Part II Anti-corruption Strategies: The Role of the State 172
5 Democracy 176
1Expected Impacts of Democracy on Corruption 177
2Actual Impacts of Democracy on Corruption 178
3Conclusion 186
References 187
6 Electoral Rules 189
1Expected Impacts of Electoral Rules on Corruption 190
2Actual Impacts of Electoral Rules on Corruption 193
3Conclusion 197
References 198
7 Decentralization 199
1Expected Impacts of Decentralization on Corruption 200
2Actual Impacts of Decentralization on Corruption 202
3Conclusion 209
References 210
8 Regulation 212
1Expected Impacts of Regulation on Corruption 213
2Actual Impacts of Regulation on Corruption 214
3Conclusion 218
References 219
9 Justice 220
1Expected Impacts of Justice on Corruption: Structural and Procedural Aspects 221
2Actual Impacts of Justice on Corruption: Structural and Procedural Aspects 223
3Expected Impacts of Justice on Corruption: Sentencing 229
4Actual Impacts of Justice on Corruption: Sentencing 233
5Conclusion 236
References 237
10 Specialized Anti-corruption Agencies 240
1Expected Impacts of ACAs on Corruption 240
2Actual Impacts of ACAs on Corruption 243
3Conclusion 247
References 247
11 Incentives and the Corruption Market 249
1Expected Impacts on Corruption 250
1.1Incentives and Wages 250
1.2Public Service Delivery and the Bureaucrat’s Monopoly 250
1.3Shifting Service Provision to the Private Sector 251
2Actual Impacts on Corruption 252
2.1Incentives and Wages 252
2.2Public Service Delivery and the Bureaucrat’s Monopoly 260
2.3Shifting Service Provision to the Private Sector 264
3Conclusion 270
References 271
12 International Cooperation 273
1Instruments of International Cooperation 273
1.1Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) 273
1.2United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) 276
1.3Other Anti-Corruption Initiatives 276
2The Debate on the Costs and Benefits of These Instruments 277
3Actual Impacts of International Cooperation 279
4Conclusion 283
References 284
Part III Anti-corruption Strategies: The Role of Civil Society 286
13 Civil Society and the Media 289
1Expected Impacts of the Media on Corruption 290
2Actual Impacts of the Media on Corruption 292
3Conclusion 302
References 302
14 Civil Society and the Specific Role of ICT 304
1Expected Impacts of ICT on Corruption 305
2Actual Impacts of ICT on Corruption 306
3Conclusion 313
References 314
15 Civil Society and the Role of Education 315
1Expected Impacts of Education on Corruption 316
1.1Social Capital and Corruption 316
1.2Education and Social Capital 318
2Actual Impacts of Education on Corruption 319
2.1Social Capital and Corruption 319
2.2Education and Social Capital 323
2.3Education and Corruption 328
3Conclusion 336
References 337
Conclusion 340
Index 344