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So the reason that poor countries are poor is Corruption

• dschobel 17y ago
  This trend of reducing every HN story to a glib one-liner is really starting to be obnoxious. The article is actually quite interesting in that it examines the motives a dictator has to foster stability and financial growth (so that there is more to plunder). But to achieve this growth the dictator needs help from the army or the police (any group of men with guns will do) and that comes in the form of letting them indulge in their own corruption. This leads to a national death spiral as the only way to get support for your corruptive endeavors is to let your subordinates pillage their subordinates. It is a toxic trifecta of mistrust/corruption/lack of institutions which leaves the country entirely dysfunctional. It's a fascinating article. You should read it.
  • pbhjpbhj 17y ago
    So what you're saying is that yes, the reason poor countries are poor is corruption? But for some reason that sticks in your craw? A politician can win the support of the people, including the armed enforcers, by other means than threat of death. If it were possible to have a political group that, I don't know, laid out a plan for the countries future and won support that way. Then, winning support of thugs with guns, by allowing them to plunder, in order to subdue your population by force wouldn't be necessary. Then you could start to rebuild the pride and position of your country and its people and those people could work together to help build a nation. Pipe dreams I suppose.