How clean is your country?

[nonperson]

How clean or corrupt is your country? (http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2010/results)

[starjots]

The methodology is worth reading - see bottom of linked page. This looks legit to me.

[Hermione]

I am surprised. I generally don't find much accuracy in articles like that, but these results look to be quite correct. Of course you have to factor in all sorts of corruption. Unfortunately, the most rampant kind is all "off the books", doesn't get exposed by media and whatnot, and isn't really noticed by the majority of people who are getting screwed. I guess I am a bit surprised we came out as clean as we did --considering everything.

[nonperson]

I am surprised. I generally don't find much accuracy in articles like that, but these results look to be quite correct. Of course you have to factor in all sorts of corruption. Unfortunately the most rampant kind is all "off the books", doesn't get exposed by media and whatnot, and isn't really noticed by the majority of people who are getting screwed. Oh wellz.

Are you saying the report is corrupt too? Geez this is getting recursive.......

(How much casino cash to change your post to say something like the best possible thread ever, anywhere?????)

EDIT: Just noticed that my casino cash isn't there!!!! OMG!! INTPcentral itself is corrupt!!!

[JazzTulip]

Chile and Uruguay are interesting.

I've wanted to visit Uruguay for years. They have the oldest national health service in the world. Apparently.

[Rhu]

Mercator-rage!

[jyng1]

The methodology looks fine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sEZ-wdFegU) to me :whistle:

[nonperson]

Chile and Uruguay are interesting.

I've wanted to visit Uruguay for years. They have the oldest national health service in the world. Apparently.

I have gone off Uruguay since they gave way to pressure from the mad cow of an Argentine president and turned HMS Gloucester away from a scheduled visit to Montevideo. Uruguay always votes with the Argentines over South Atlantic territories. Which is odd really considering Argentina claims chunks of Uruguay and in other spheres Uruguay and the UK have very close ties. Then again sometimes you just have to placate the nutters in your neighbour for a quiet life.

Chile is a different matter. There is a country going places. Yes the core of its economy is based on mining (classic Third World primary industry) but it has a surprising buoyant communications technology sector. Chile will be SA's second economy after Brazil........

[Dark Razor]

I wonder if large-scale institutionalized corruption in the Western countries in the form of "lobbying", "campaign contributions" and corporate handouts is included in this. I am guesing it is not.

[JazzTulip]

How did they get the Chilean miners up? Juan by Juan!!! Yours, nonperson

<sigh>

Where's the replying to non-anonymous reps thread when you need it?

[nonperson]

One does one's best. :)

[Dark Razor]

Also, appearantly Italy is supposed to be more corrupt than Saudi Arabia LOl.

That map is probably complete bullshit.

[qualia]

Italy's fucked up as hell, but yeah, Saudi Arabia is worse. Italy can't even form a government long enough for democracy to work great over there, tho.

[nonperson]

Also, appearantly Italy is supposed to be more corrupt than Saudi Arabia LOl.

That map is probably complete bullshit.

No Italy is that corrupt. Unlike Saudi Arabia they are just a lot more stylish about it.

The government struggles to balance the books year in, year out.

[JazzTulip]

And at least in Italy you can get really great pasta. And make-up.

[rhinosaur]

How do you think that map will look 10 years from now?

[sandwich]

Make-up is certainly available in Saudi Arabia, but don't expect to see a woman's face unless her husband invites you over.

Israel's slightly more corrupt than UAE.

[YHWH]

2.5, reasonably corrupt.

[nonperson]

And at least in Italy you can get really great pasta. And make-up.

The latter really isn't an issue for me. It's not in my make-up.

[MadamI'madaM]

Is this a joke?

This is based on opinion surveys and, I'm assuming, events that made it to the printing press.

This seems like a more accurate measurement of how good is your country at lying to you.

[nonperson]

We all just like the map. Why don't you go and troll somewhere else?

[MadamI'madaM]

We all just like the map. Why don't you go and troll somewhere else?

I wasn't insinuating that you believed in it, I was actually just asking.

I mean, what purpose could this serve besides washing the hands of imperialist legacies and damage control for Goldman and the SEC?

[nonperson]

I mean, what purpose could this serve besides washing the hands of imperialist legacies and damage control for Goldman and the SEC?

Gosh...........

[MadamI'madaM]

Gosh...........

1) Only "business people" were asked their opinions. Aren't "private interests" the ultimate bedfellows in corruption, or are we still living in some Orwellian fantasy land where governments accomplish everything evil by and for themselves?

2) Then, a league of experts, presumably from or educated in yellow countries had the final say. Probably less biased, but there would have probably been a net bias towards the virtues of the West.

3) Two primary colors were used for the extremes on the map, which biologically creates a bias towards them in one's appraisal of the map. I can hardly visually ascertain discrepancies in the mid range, can you?

I just don't see what people were supposed to gain from this, other than a supposedly scientific validation of the white man's burden.

EDIT: I'm getting the impression that you're on the same page and I'm just dense?

[nonperson]

EDIT: I'm getting the impression that you're on the same page


:yes:




and I'm just dense?

:yes:


Plus the map is just groovy........

[Ferrus]

I would suggest levels of corruption are linked to cultural imperatives and economic health, which seems no surprise.

[nonperson]

I would suggest levels of corruption are linked to cultural imperatives and economic health, which seems no surprise.

Exactly. What we would call corruption is simply the way others do business. Just as Western capitalism is different from Korean, Japanese, and Chinese capitalism.

[Dark Razor]

I see North Korea no longer has any corruption at all, now the next stage of The Plan can finally commence.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/Zaphod1983/NK_JamesBond.jpg

I waited sooooooooooo long for a halfway decent excuse to post that picture..

[jyng1]

Corruption should be fairly closely linked to prosperity. Here's the Legatum Institutes Prosperity index for 2010:

http://www.prosperity.com/

Those pesky Scandinavian countries seem to take similar spots.

You only need to look at the recent Commonwealth games in India to get an idea of the detrimental effects of corruption; billions of dollars in cost overruns and a countries reputation pilloried in the international press.