3 ms·

Sadly it's quickly becoming the #1 problem in the US as well.

toomanybeersies 9y ago
Corruption in the USA and corruption in the developing world are two completely different beasts, similar in name only. Corruption in the developing world is from the bottom up, it's the way that the common person does business. Corruption in the developed world is from the top down. Try bribing a cop in a developed country and you'll find yourself in an even bigger hole. But in the developing world, it's the normal way of doing business. You bribe a cop to get out of a ticket, you bribe an official to get your paperwork done faster.
- nickik 9y ago
  Bribing a cop? No. Bribing a senator? Sure that normal.
- MichaelGG 9y ago
  It's beyond even that. Corruption is the lubricant of bureaucracy. These countries are messed up. One way to "fight" corruption is to create lots of paperwork: after all, if everything's documented, then you can't get away with anything, right? Ignore the fact that most official papers end up rotting in a box in a warehouse. Faced with these stupid requirements and tons of needed stamps and seals and signoffs, if you wanna get stuff done, you pay Vs letting the ineffective system slowly get to it. In one case, the customs officer worked overtime: after 5, he'd continue to process paperwork, correctly, legally, but extra money decided which pieces he'd work on. After anti corruption systems went into place, he can't do this anymore and just goes home at 5. No one wins.
  - jorvi 9y ago
    > In one case, the customs officer worked overtime: after 5, he'd continue to process paperwork, correctly, legally, but extra money decided which pieces he'd work on. After anti corruption systems went into place, he can't do this anymore and just goes home at 5. No one wins. Isn't that analogue to net neutrality though? Old situation: those who pay enter the bureaucracy fast lane, screw the rest. New situation: everyone gets processed at the same speed, regardless of monetary power.
- 3131s 9y ago
  > But in the developing world, it's the normal way of doing business. You bribe a cop to get out of a ticket, you bribe an official to get your paperwork done faster. It actually has some nice side-effects like cops targeting only the expensive cars, whereas if you're on a cheap motobike you can pay a $1 for a ticket. Having lived for a while now in a country that fares very poorly on the Corruption Perceptions Index, I prefer it to living in the US.

Corruption in the USA and corruption in the developing world are two completely different beasts, similar in name only. Corruption in the developing world is from the bottom up, it's the way that the common person does business. Corruption in the developed world is from the top down. Try bribing a cop in a developed country and you'll find yourself in an even bigger hole. But in the developing world, it's the normal way of doing business. You bribe a cop to get out of a ticket, you bribe an official to get your paperwork done faster.

nickik 9y ago
Bribing a cop? No. Bribing a senator? Sure that normal.
MichaelGG 9y ago
It's beyond even that. Corruption is the lubricant of bureaucracy. These countries are messed up. One way to "fight" corruption is to create lots of paperwork: after all, if everything's documented, then you can't get away with anything, right? Ignore the fact that most official papers end up rotting in a box in a warehouse. Faced with these stupid requirements and tons of needed stamps and seals and signoffs, if you wanna get stuff done, you pay Vs letting the ineffective system slowly get to it. In one case, the customs officer worked overtime: after 5, he'd continue to process paperwork, correctly, legally, but extra money decided which pieces he'd work on. After anti corruption systems went into place, he can't do this anymore and just goes home at 5. No one wins.
- jorvi 9y ago
  > In one case, the customs officer worked overtime: after 5, he'd continue to process paperwork, correctly, legally, but extra money decided which pieces he'd work on. After anti corruption systems went into place, he can't do this anymore and just goes home at 5. No one wins. Isn't that analogue to net neutrality though? Old situation: those who pay enter the bureaucracy fast lane, screw the rest. New situation: everyone gets processed at the same speed, regardless of monetary power.
3131s 9y ago
> But in the developing world, it's the normal way of doing business. You bribe a cop to get out of a ticket, you bribe an official to get your paperwork done faster. It actually has some nice side-effects like cops targeting only the expensive cars, whereas if you're on a cheap motobike you can pay a $1 for a ticket. Having lived for a while now in a country that fares very poorly on the Corruption Perceptions Index, I prefer it to living in the US.