Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Types of corruption

Dan Harris, writing at China Law Blog has an entry intriguingly titled, "The Upside Of China Corruption."

He cites another blog (Richard Spencer's post, "When Corruption Works") that suggests that the Chinese schools might have been destroyed by the earthquake because of inadequate construction (corruption?), but the existence of those schools might have come about because of corruption.

Then Harris cites a parable to explain the difference between Chinese and African corruption. The parable rings true from what I've learned about the process of "building" the electrical grid in Nigeria.

Here's the story: "An Asian and an African Minister of Infrastructure ... become friends during their conferences. The Asian minister invites to his home the African, who marvels at its beauty and asks how the Asian could afford it. 'See that bridge over there?' said the Asian minister. 'That’s right. 10%. 10%.'

"In the next year it is the Asian minister’s turn to visit the African and to marvel at his even more grandiose home. 'See that bridge over there?' the African minister asks, and the Asian replies, 'What bridge?'

"That’s right,' the African answers, '100%. 100%.'”


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