WASHINGTON: India is the ninth most corrupt country in the world, says an independent global survey of businessmen conducted by the anticorruption crusaders, Transparency International. According to the survey, which reviewed 54 economics? India’s political and business establishments are marginally better in terms of corruption than those in Nigeria (1), Pakistan (2), Bangladesh (3), China (5), and Russia (8). The survey of businessmen working for multinational companies and institutions found that corruption was rampant throughout the Third World, with most of the countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America figuring on top of the list. Of the 26 most corrupt countries four are in Africa. 10 in Asia (four from South Asia), seven in Latin Amenca, two in Eastern Europe and three in Western Europe. Analyzing the trends in worldwide corruption, the survey rejected the theory that corruption thrives because of favorable cultural traits; it pointed out that bribery has “no basis for ethical or legal support in any society” and instead finds the political and the legal systems responsible for it.
New Zealand ranked first among the “clean” countries closely followed by the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. Among the countries perceived as more immune to corruption are Canada (4), Australia (10), Britain (12), Germany (13), US (15), and Japan (17). Expectedly, among the Asian countries, the Spartan Singapore ranking seventh and Hong Kong the 18th, figure in the list of states relatively free of corruption, The survey which provided a road map for international reforms to clean up the systems, released a “corruption perception index” that assesses the level at which corruption is perceived by employees of multinational firms and institutions.
India’s score in the index of 0 to 10— 10 being an indubitable clean country, while 0 an entirely corrupt one— is 2, 63 as against New Zealand” 9, 43 and 9.33 by Denmark. At the bottom of table the scores are: Nigeria (0.69), Pakistan (1.00), Kenya 2.21), Bangladesh (2.29), China (2.43) and Russia(2.58).Though corruption is a “major impediment to social, political and economic development” all over the world, “governments are now searching for constructive approaches to this cancer,” said Peter Eigen chairman of the Tl. The Transparency International is a nongovernmental group made up of legislators, businessmen, law enforcement officers and multilateral development agencies.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 9, 1996
