> some countries manage to be virtually free of corruption. I don't think there are countries free of corruption. You can have less or more but never zero. The

> some countries manage to be virtually free of corruption. I don't think there are countries free of corruption. You can have less or more but never zero. The important question here is how could they have less? Important parameters are IMO country size (smaller = better), degree of direct democracy, factual independence of institutions (as opposed to de iure independence) > the same logic would apply to any other crime No, because the ordinary criminals cannot escape the justice system as simply using their existing powers (in other words, gov't is at the top of the power food chain, ordinary criminals aren't). > and crime rates have dropped across the board Yes, I think this is because many candidate criminals have something to lose, unlike well-connected government officials.