How can there be so many ties in a list like this?

Or stay because they wont let you leave.

Tr0mBoNe:How can there be so many ties in a list like this?

People kept bribing the listmaker.

There are many others just as corrupt, but they don't have any oil, so are not worth listing.

Poor countries are corrupt in part because good government promotes economic prosperity.

z_gringo:Tr0mBoNe:How can there be so many ties in a list like this?

People kept bribing the listmaker.

Zing!

How about Ireland with our unelected President?

United States isn't on there? Right. Denial 'taint just a river in Egypt folks.

There are countries where every step in the legislative process can be bought?

Whoa.

"Every government is run by liars and nothing they say should be believed."
-- I.F. Stone

An tSaoi:How about Ireland with our unelected President?

Apparently that doesn't go as far as it used to.

venezuela really needs to step it up, looking like a bunch of amateurs next to these african countries.

I had to run away from the site, cause the page kept changing without me doing anything.

I like my html to keep still.

I'm surprised there aren't more posts like "OMG America is da corruptus maximus!!!11!!" in here.

i don't see the actual list...

Lists like these can be fun. From the "Most Reputable Global Companies" list:



Bimbo Bread, anyone?

This is a map from Wikipedia that indicates every country's level of corruption based on the value judgements of a bunch of experts. The red countries are corrupt whilst the greener countries are squeaky-clean.

I guess Mugabe's thugs got the writer of the list and kept his country off the list.

z_gringo:Tr0mBoNe:How can there be so many ties in a list like this?

People kept bribing the listmaker.

Nooosletter plz.

Third Day Mark:United States isn't on there? Right. Denial 'taint just a river in Egypt folks.

However much the two political parties like to talk corruption (and there is always some, because government involves power and power corrupts), the US is a beacon of integrity compared to the third world.

In the US you can live your entire life without ever needing to bribe a public official to get anything done. In many nations it is a fact of life. Folks point fingers at high up corruption here, but in much of Africa, Asia, and South & Central America, corruption pervades every level of the system and bribery is a fact of life. Imagine not being able to even get the most minor of local government functions done without issuing a bribe.

We have it good here.

I would have bet that Zimbabwe would be on the list, as farked up as that place is. Interesting that both Iraq and Afghanistan make it. You're doing a heckuva job guys!!!!

anyone want to write out the countries in list form instead of this shiatty farking slide show?

Third Day Mark:United States isn't on there? Right. Denial 'taint just a river in Egypt folks.

That is why they only went to 10. If they would have gone to say 20, the US would have shown up

Which are the world's most corrupt countries?


The correlation between gaudy military uniforms, and oppressive corrupt political systems is high.

Pffft, the Congo? Laos? Hati? Come on. Those places can't be corrupt and politically repressive. I almost never see people from those places on Fark declaring their leaders the new Hitler.

There's like, 29 countries on that list, counting all of the ties.

Epiphany:anyone want to write out the countries in list form instead of this shiatty farking slide show?

No. 1 Myanmar (Burma) (tie)
No. 1 Somalia (tie)
No. 3 Iraq
No. 4 Haiti
No. 5 Uzbekistan (tie)
No. 5 Tonga (tie)
No. 7 Sudan (tie)
No. 7 Chad (tie)
No. 7 Afghanistan (tie)
No. 10 Laos (tie)
No. 10 Guinea (tie)
No. 10 Equatorial Guinea (tie)
No. 10 Democratic Republic of Congo (tie)


/all shiatholes, no doubt about it

akula:However much the two political parties like to talk corruption (and there is always some, because government involves power and power corrupts), the US is a beacon of integrity compared to the third world.

In the US you can live your entire life without ever needing to bribe a public official to get anything done. In many nations it is a fact of life. Folks point fingers at high up corruption here, but in much of Africa, Asia, and South & Central America, corruption pervades every level of the system and bribery is a fact of life. Imagine not being able to even get the most minor of local government functions done without issuing a bribe.

We have it good here.

Exactly, those who complain about how the US is the worst just have absolutely no knowledge of the rest of the world or perception of it. That's not to say the US doesn't have problems but simply that compared to many other nations it's as you said a beacon of integrity.

akula:In the US you can live your entire life without ever needing to bribe a public official to get anything done. In many nations it is a fact of life. Folks point fingers at high up corruption here, but in much of Africa, Asia, and South & Central America, corruption pervades every level of the system and bribery is a fact of life. Imagine not being able to even get the most minor of local government functions done without issuing a bribe.

This.

In most second and third world nations you can't even get a parking spot or a decent meal without greasing a palm or two. In most of the world being a political hack is the best job you can get. Here in the US they still send people to Federal Prison for that (they just busted an Alderman in Milwaukee for it).

Hell, try and bribe a cop here like you would in Russia or Mexico and you likely get thrown in jail and not let go.

/first this ever
// while we are on it, we don't have "poverty" in the US either.

Good Rule of Thumb: If the given country's army goose-steps when on parade, it's a repressive regime.

In the U.S people who bribes government officials are call lobbyists!

Third Day Mark:
I think the words you're looking for are: U.S. surprisingly absent.

joepac1 - Bimbo snack cakes kick tons of ass.

I was going to respond to the article, but I got hungry and now all I can think about are yummy chocolate-filled frosted snackies.

/nom nom nom

FormerGangsterOfTwang:Good Rule of Thumb: If the given country's army goose-steps when on parade, it's a repressive regime.

Better rule of thumb, if the words "military coup" were used to change government in the last 20 years, good chance that they are corrupt. Even an attempted one shows that things can swing based on someone getting more guns and pissed off poor people.

The US last had one (failed) over 150 years ago.

FormerGangsterOfTwang:Good Rule of Thumb: If the given country's army goose-steps when on parade, it's a repressive regime.

If you're going to wear stupid looking uncomfortable cloths, you might as well walk stupid and uncomfortably too.

joltek:In the U.S people who bribes government officials are call lobbyists!

Yep. We don't have the pervasive low-level corruption here, but we do have massive theft of unfathomable amounts of money that is aided and abetted by our government and possibly even "legal". We have a LOT of corruption here...it's just not the same kind as in other places with a lot of corruption.

bifford:This is a map from Wikipedia that indicates every country's level of corruption based on the value judgements of a bunch of experts. The red countries are corrupt whilst the greener countries are squeaky-clean.

Damn, that's depressing. I really can't argue with the quantity of red. Yellow doesn't seem so bad!

/how much can I blame on bush???

I'd love to see the whole list as well. Nigeria would also be right up there.

Corruption doesn't necessarily equal repression, but it sure as hell equals government that misses the definition by a country mile.

And NashBridges and akula are absolutely correct - don't even go there with "Where's the US?" As corrupt as we believe our officials to be, we and many others are on top of the mountain comparitively. What's tragic is countries like Zimbabwe, Nigeria and many others would be doing very well with good governance - they have natural resources that would provide the necessary start up for industrialization. It's probably one of the more fascinating issues that plagues Africa.

Oddly, it doesn't stop too many companies from doing business over there, but it makes them hesitant to invest in infrastructure. For example, The Nigerian delta is suffering from immense ecological damage due to frequent oil spills, due to government inaction, brought about by corruption. Royal Dutch Shell Oil company, which runs the oil platforms in the delta, is making use of technology that is nearly 30 years old. But do you invest, not knowing if the government is capable of protecting your investment? The cost of doing business is also higher, due to the need to bribe from the top to the bottom.

Mosey:we don't have "poverty" in the US either

Tell that to the next homeless person you see

bifford:This is a map from Wikipedia that indicates every country's level of corruption based on the value judgements of a bunch of experts. The red countries are corrupt whilst the greener countries are squeaky-clean.

I notice that Canada is relatively non-corrupt, but somehow, GREENLAND beats us. (pardon the pun!)

Perhaps they execute paid lobbyists or something there.

Unfortunately, lobbyists are a symptom of the citizenry being uninvolved with government. I mean, have you ever written your elected official expressing how outraged you are that organizations such as the pharmaceutical industry essentially BRIBE the govt into passing patent protection laws to keep drug prices sky-high?

What I can never figure out is why these countries aren't Libertarian and/or Capitalist Paradises. The governments are small and weak, taxation is practically non-existent, there is little, if any government regulation of anything, and the markets are as free as birds. Maybe they just haven't read Ayn Rand or Milton Friedman yet.

leftymcrighty:Tell that to the next homeless person you see

Considering I will likely see them in an air-conditioned building or eating a free meal via a charity, I may.

/has had that conversation before with some homeless
// most of them agree

This is a map from Wikipedia that indicates every country's level of corruption based on the value judgements of a bunch of experts. The red countries are corrupt whilst the greener countries are squeaky-clean.

Gimme a break ... Canada is squeaky clean ?!?

Lest we forget that they went on strike earlier this year ?!?

Damn flappy heads and beady little eyes. Don't trust a single one of 'em.

leftymcrighty:Mosey:we don't have "poverty" in the US either

Tell that to the next homeless person you see

There's no excuse for being homeless in this nation -- unless you enjoying living that way. I know such people.

Many homeless people that don't want to live that way, are mentally ill -- which is a damn crime in-itself. But urban centers are very poor places for community support -- and government mental health services are damn near non-existent.

nashBridges:Third Day Mark:United States isn't on there? Right. Denial 'taint just a river in Egypt folks.

People who make comments like this have never lived in a truly corrupt country.

You are correct sir. Are you saying that we (Good Ol' US of A) aren't corrupt?

oldebayer:What I can never figure out is why these countries aren't Libertarian and/or Capitalist Paradises.

In a sense they are. You want something, anything, there is a market for it. guns, food, protection, transportation, you buy it.

If you can't buy it, and it is likely you can't, you don't get it.

If you want a better, more level scale try Russia or China. There you can get what you want with money, open or black market and no one really cares, and more people do.

Mosey:leftymcrighty:Tell that to the next homeless person you see

Considering I will likely see them in an air-conditioned building or eating a free meal via a charity, I may.

/has had that conversation before with some homeless
// most of them agree

Poverty is relative. The homeless person in the US is still far better off than the homeless person in someplace like Burma.

It cracks me up how dictators love to give themselves medals that they didn't earn.

BTW, on the full list, the U.S. is the 20th least corrupt nation. Sounds about right, most likely.