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Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political corruption
Winning the anticorruption battle: a guide for citizens and
politicians.The phenomenon of corruption has existed since
antiquity; from ancient Mesopotamia to our modern-day high-level
ethical morass, people have sought a leg up, a shortcut, or an end
run to power and influence. In this volume in the MIT Press
Essential Knowledge series, Robert Rotberg, a recognized authority
on governance and international relations, offers a definitive
guide to corruption and anticorruption, charting the evolution of
corruption and offering recommendations on how to reduce its power
and spread. The most important component of anticorruption efforts,
he argues, is leadership that is committed to changing dominant
political cultures. Rotberg explains that corruption is the
conversion of a public good into personal gain--either by the
exchange of cash for influence or by the granting of special favors
even without explicit payments. He describes successful
anticorruption efforts in countries ranging from Denmark and Sweden
to Canada and Costa Rica, and discusses the roles of judicial
systems, investigative journalism, multinational corporations, and
technological advances. He shows how the United States has become
more corrupt than before, and contrasts recent US and Canadian
experiences. Without sufficient political will to eliminate
corruption, it persists. Rotberg outlines thirteen practical steps
for battling corruption, including removing holdover officials
tainted by corruption and the public declaration of financial
assets by elected officials and appointees.
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