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October 20, 2004

The survey says...
Well, not exactly what the headline says, that's for sure. According to the RTE report "Ireland 17th least corrupt, survey finds" and opens with the line "A survey of 146 countries has rated Ireland as the 17th least corrupt." Except the survey is a Corruption Perceptions Index by the Internet Centre for Corruption Research - that's PERCEPTIONS.

To be fair to RTE, the press release from Transparency International Chairman, Peter Eigen, confuses the two issues as well.. "Corruption is rampant in 60 countries, and the public sector is plagued by bribery, says TI"... but then it's a press release designed to get attention.

However, it does point out that "The Corruption Perceptions Index is a poll of polls, reflecting the perceptions of business people and country analysts, both resident and non-resident."

It's a difficult call whether you prefer to be in a state where people believe corruption isn't rampant, or in one where everyone is convinced that it is. Personally, I say a degree of cynicism is a good thing.

So taking it at face value.. well everyone else seems to...

The UK does reasonably well placing 11th least corrupt and the USA and Belgium tie with Ireland as 17th least corrupt.

and.. Congratulations Finland! The least corrupt country in the world!

Of course, they might just be better than everyone else at covering it up.

pete baker @ 20 October 2004 02:12 PM

Comments (9)

Here's the top 50 or so:

Finland 9,7
New Zealand 9,6
Denmark 9,5
Iceland 9,5
Singapore 9,3
Sweden 9,2
Switzerland 9,1
Norway 8,9
Australia 8,8
Netherlands 8,7
United Kingdom 8,6
Canada 8,5
Austria 8,4
Luxembourg 8,4
Germany 8,2
Hong Kong 8,0
Belgium 7,5
Ireland 7,5
USA 7,5
Chile 7,4
Barbados 7,3
France 7,1
Spain 7,1
Japan 6,9
Malta 6,8
Israel 6,4
Portugal 6,3
Uruguay 6,2
Oman 6,1
United Arab Emirates 6,1
Botswana 6,0
Estonia 6,0
Slovenia 6,0
Bahrain 5,8
Taiwan 5,6
Cyprus 5,4
Jordan 5,3
Qatar 5,2
Malaysia 5,0
Tunisia 5,0
Costa Rica 4,9
Hungary 4,8
Italy 4,8
Kuwait 4,6
Lithuania 4,6
South Africa 4,6
South Korea 4,5
Seychelles 4,4
Greece 4,3
Suriname 4,3
Czech Republic 4,2
El Salvador 4,2
Trinidad and Tobago 4,2

Posted by: maca at October 20, 2004 02:48 PM

This a damning report indeed for Ireland. Just as corrupt as the USA! Now that is bad.

Posted by: Fraggle at October 20, 2004 04:46 PM

It wasn't so long ago that the Joseph Rowntree Trust published a report claiming the South was "one of the most corrupt countries in Europe"!

Posted by: willowfield at October 20, 2004 04:48 PM

write in and tell them they're wrong why don't you?

Posted by: Fraggle at October 20, 2004 04:56 PM

Ireland?! Somebody tell those people there's no such place.

This is great news. We'er the third least corrupt predominantly Catholic nation in the world after Austria and Luxembourg.

Or put another way, the least corrupt non-landlocked predominantly Catholic country in the world.

Statistics and surveys. Pah humbug.

Posted by: George at October 20, 2004 04:57 PM

"wealth" is founded on corruption IMO.

Posted by: Davros at October 20, 2004 05:29 PM

or is that the other way around davros?

Posted by: Fraggle at October 20, 2004 07:00 PM

If you are interested in corruption on predominently Catholic islands you might be interested in John Dickies racy "Cosa Nostra" (which is a very readable history of the Sicilian mafia).

Posted by: Michael Turley at October 21, 2004 11:27 AM

Fraggle, I don't think one can become very wealthy, except by inheritance, honestly. Applies to Institutions as well as Individuals.

Posted by: Davros at October 21, 2004 11:33 AM


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