The Corruption Perceptions Index for 2011 has recently been published by Transparency International. It tracks the misuse of public power for private benefit and gives each country a score out of 10 – with 10 representing squeaky clean perfection. It should be noted that the methodology used to compile the index has been criticised by some, and also that, as the methodology has changed over time, year on year comparisons may be misleading.
New Zealand is number one with an impressive 9.5, and Singapore (9.2) is the only non-OECD country in the top ten. The UK is joint 16th on the list with 7.8, and the USA 23rd, just below Chile and Qatar. Russia scores very badly (2.4) but not as badly as Venezuela (1.9).
It seems pretty obvious that the very highest scoring countries are much more desirable places to live than bottom of the list Afghanistan, Burma, North Korea or Somalia. But scanning the middle section made me think that either there is indeed a problem with the methodology, or else that there are still worse problems than corruption. I’d certainly rather live in #69 than in #61 or #57.
