Corruption and Public Value

Abstract

Rich-country corruption is different from poor-country corruption. When we look at global league tables, we know that Denmark is less corrupt than Zimbabwe, that Sweden is less corrupt than Iraq, but such comparisons reveal little about corruption itself. Using the nation-state as the unit of analysis does not tell us about the nature of corruption, about its effects, nor anything about public value. When cases of corruption are exposed in their respective countries, citizens in Denmark or Sweden are often more angry than their counterparts in Zimbabwe or Iraq.