I guess it's a game theory kind of thing. If, for some reason, the UK decided to clean their act, the grifters would go someplace else (delaware, singapore, etc

I guess it's a game theory kind of thing. If, for some reason, the UK decided to clean their act, the grifters would go someplace else (delaware, singapore, etc). In the end it might make the world a slightly better place but at an important cost for the city types. However, it would mean that part of the local investment might flow back into local business/industry, making the country also slightly better off and with less inequality there might also be less corruption. Your average politician would spend less time being a mercenary for the city and more time dealing with actual problems.