"perceived"
Based on "the *perceived* level of public-sector corruption in a country/territory".
So they didn't actually measure corruption at all. It's just another stupid opinion poll.
New Zealand has been rated the world's least corrupt country for 2009, topping Transparency International's "Corruption Perceptions Index" (CPI) with a squeaky-clean 9.4 out of 10 in the league table of just how corrupt, or otherwise, nations are reckoned to be. Last year's winner Denmark is relegated to second spot, with 9.3, …
Based on "the *perceived* level of public-sector corruption in a country/territory".
So they didn't actually measure corruption at all. It's just another stupid opinion poll.
and who did they bribe to get that rating?
Never mind who New Zealand bribed - how much did our government bribe them to get as high up as it did?
Beer - because it's probably through the taxes on it that money for said bribe was raised...
I offered the organisers of the survey a couple of quid to go easy on Britain, but never heard back from them.
The Afghan organisers said that wasn't enough, and the Somalis said they were out on their boat.
Canada is 8th while UK/US are 17th/19th. Time to emigrate. No wait, it gets *really* cold there and you have to learn French (and apparently French Canadians are more French than those in France).
ac - how on earth do you measure "real" corruption. You can only record "detected" corruption and then in a corrupt state the level of detection will be poor. Perceived corruption is the best measure but it should include external surveys (i.e. opinions of other coutries on the measured country - not just in-country opinion) - though there are 6/8 surveys for Canada / UK / US there are no details of the surveys...
So its measuring how effective the population is being fooled. That explains why the UK is even at number 17.
So a country with little corruption and the population that could see it all, would score the same as a county with huge corruption where the people were fooled into not seeing most of it. That perfectly explains the UK.
The only way the UK could get into the top 5 of any list, would be on a list of how much time and (our) money they use up, trying to fool us all. :(
...that waggling the headmaster's finger at the second-in-league will make him mend his ways.
"You! Yes, you behind the bikesheds, stand still laddy!"
I must bung my MP a slab or two of beer!
'perceived as the most corrupt'
I assume that the people doing the perceiving have lived in each of the countries rated, rather than pulling that perception out of their arse based on TV shows and some bloke they spoke to down the pub?
Damn right. Moreso, I don't believe the name 'Myanmar' is officially recognised by the British governmemt, as doing so would lend it an air of de facto legitimacy. A British e-rag like El Reg should know better.
The perceive is by a bunch of university economics depts and some management consultancies and risk consultants. So it's based on the opinions that big companies pay for before doing business with a country.
it's only an opinion is like saying that car insurance groups are only an opinion of the insurance companies.
But it'd cost him a bit.
Do you reckon they know something we don't?! Looks like our MPs are struggling to contain all their corruption...
UK place over the years:
1998, 11th
1999, 13th
2000, 10th
2001, 13th
2002, 10th
2003, 11th
2004, 11th
2005, 11th
2006, 11th
2007, 12th
2008, 16th
2009, 17th
...Glad to hear your banking industry wasn't a pyramid scheme after all.
Paris - because some kinds of corruption are fun
Just a point of order.
The average Icelander is pretty much as honest as they come, hence the country's high rating. But the dozen or so of them that ran the banks and managed to bankrupt one of the World's richest countries must be in a league of their own.
...Just that they're too stupid to do it without getting caught in the first 24 hours ;)
National NZ: "We're not corrupt...Just stupid"
Paris, 'cos she could run the place better than John Key...
The corruption index corelates rather strongly with the democracy index. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index ). Guess it does work after all. To some degree.
Not corrupt???!!! Hold on while I faint in my kopi C here. Just to be clear, Singaporeans don't "perceive" anything that messes with their little group-think "all foreigners are evil and just want to destroy us! Destroy us, I say!" mindset.
That's how NZ politicians compare to the UK versions. As Mike Norrish 1 says, they get caught quickly..!!
Is pretty corrupt at most levels with cronyism and fingers in the cookie jar. Queensland state police are perennially at it and state governments are shockingly corrupt. It's just that everyone's been bought off with Rudd's fiscal stimulus package and they think that house prices never go down so they're clearly too deluded to perceive the corruption hence the finishing spot.
...unless they are the most corrupt in that they will even corrupt a poll to see who is the most corrupt...
...or they are just very good at it...
in New Zealand.
To those of you moaning about it being a popularity poll , a question.
At General Election time who gets to govern the country?