Publication: The Political Economy of Corruption : Causes and Consequences
Date
1996-04
ISSN
Published
1996-04
Author(s)
Rose-Ackerman, Susan
Abstract
This Note examines the opportunities for
illicit gain that exist in all countries. It asks what
factors determine the size and incidence of bribe payments
and assesses the political, economic, and distributive
consequences of corruption. Bribes are paid for two
reasons--to obtain government benefits and to avoid costs.
There is little evidence on how often officials, private
firms, and individuals take advantage of corrupt
opportunities and on how much money is paid in bribes.
Surveys suggest that where corruption is endemic, it imposes
a disproportionately high burden on the smallest firm. But,
importantly, the most severe costs are often not the bribes
themselves, but the underlying distortions they reveal.
Despite the costs of widespread corruption, they are a
symptom of disease, not the disease itself. Eliminating
corruption makes no sense if the result is a rigid,
unresponsive, autocratic government. Instead,
anticorruption strategies should seek to improve the
efficiency and fairness of government and to enhance the
efficiency of the private sector.
Citation
“Rose-Ackerman, Susan. 1996. The Political Economy of Corruption : Causes and Consequences. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/a6e3215b-912f-52a8-ab12-5a6eeb410f4e License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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