Transparency International tracks government corruption around the world. Thier Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranks more than 150 countries in terms of perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys. Here’s their 2005 CPI
:
| TI 2005 Corruption Perceptions Index | ||||
| Country rank | Country | 2005 CPI score* | Confidence range** | Surveys used*** |
| 1 | Iceland | 9.7 | 9.5 – 9.7 | 8 |
| 2 | Finland | 9.6 | 9.5 – 9.7 | 9 |
| New Zealand | 9.6 | 9.5 – 9.7 | 9 | |
| 4 | Denmark | 9.5 | 9.3 – 9.6 | 10 |
| 5 | Singapore | 9.4 | 9.3 – 9.5 | 12 |
| 6 | Sweden | 9.2 | 9.0 – 9.3 | 10 |
| 7 | Switzerland | 9.1 | 8.9 – 9.2 | 9 |
| 8 | Norway | 8.9 | 8.5 – 9.1 | 9 |
| 9 | Australia | 8.8 | 8.4 – 9.1 | 13 |
| 10 | Austria | 8.7 | 8.4 – 9.0 | 9 |
| 11 | Netherlands | 8.6 | 8.3 – 8.9 | 9 |
| United Kingdom | 8.6 | 8.3 – 8.8 | 11 | |
| 13 | Luxembourg | 8.5 | 8.1 – 8.9 | 8 |
| 14 | Canada | 8.4 | 7.9 – 8.8 | 11 |
| 15 | Hong Kong | 8.3 | 7.7 – 8.7 | 12 |
| 16 | Germany | 8.2 | 7.9 – 8.5 | 10 |
| 17 | USA | 7.6 | 7.0 – 8.0 | 12 |
| 18 | France | 7.5 | 7.0 – 7.8 | 11 |
| 19 | Belgium | 7.4 | 6.9 – 7.9 | 9 |
| Ireland | 7.4 | 6.9 – 7.9 | 10 | |
| 21 | Chile | 7.3 | 6.8 – 7.7 | 10 |
| Japan | 7.3 | 6.7 – 7.8 | 14 | |
| 23 | Spain | 7.0 | 6.6 – 7.4 | 10 |
| 24 | Barbados | 6.9 | 5.7 – 7.3 | 3 |
| 25 | Malta | 6.6 | 5.4 – 7.7 | 5 |
| 26 | Portugal | 6.5 | 5.9 – 7.1 | 9 |
| 27 | Estonia | 6.4 | 6.0 – 7.0 | 11 |
| 28 | Israel | 6.3 | 5.7 – 6.9 | 10 |
| Oman | 6.3 | 5.2 – 7.3 | 5 | |
| 30 | United Arab Emirates | 6.2 | 5.3 – 7.1 | 6 |
| 31 | Slovenia | 6.1 | 5.7 – 6.8 | 11 |
| 32 | Botswana | 5.9 | 5.1 – 6.7 | 8 |
| Qatar | 5.9 | 5.6 – 6.4 | 5 | |
| Taiwan | 5.9 | 5.4 – 6.3 | 14 | |
| Uruguay | 5.9 | 5.6 – 6.4 | 6 | |
| 36 | Bahrain | 5.8 | 5.3 – 6.3 | 6 |
| 37 | Cyprus | 5.7 | 5.3 – 6.0 | 5 |
| Jordan | 5.7 | 5.1 – 6.1 | 10 | |
| 39 | Malaysia | 5.1 | 4.6 – 5.6 | 14 |
| 40 | Hungary | 5.0 | 4.7 – 5.2 | 11 |
| Italy | 5.0 | 4.6 – 5.4 | 9 | |
| South Korea | 5.0 | 4.6 – 5.3 | 12 | |
| 43 | Tunisia | 4.9 | 4.4 – 5.6 | 7 |
| 44 | Lithuania | 4.8 | 4.5 – 5.1 | 8 |
| 45 | Kuwait | 4.7 | 4.0 – 5.2 | 6 |
| 46 | South Africa | 4.5 | 4.2 – 4.8 | 11 |
| 47 | Czech Republic | 4.3 | 3.7 – 5.1 | 10 |
| Greece | 4.3 | 3.9 – 4.7 | 9 | |
| Namibia | 4.3 | 3.8 – 4.9 | 8 | |
| Slovakia | 4.3 | 3.8 – 4.8 | 10 | |
| 51 | Costa Rica | 4.2 | 3.7 – 4.7 | 7 |
| El Salvador | 4.2 | 3.5 – 4.8 | 6 | |
| Latvia | 4.2 | 3.8 – 4.6 | 7 | |
| Mauritius | 4.2 | 3.4 – 5.0 | 6 | |
| 55 | Bulgaria | 4.0 | 3.4 – 4.6 | 8 |
| Colombia | 4.0 | 3.6 – 4.4 | 9 | |
| Fiji | 4.0 | 3.4 – 4.6 | 3 | |
| Seychelles | 4.0 | 3.5 – 4.2 | 3 | |
| 59 | Cuba | 3.8 | 2.3 – 4.7 | 4 |
| Thailand | 3,8 | 3.5 – 4.1 | 13 | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 3,8 | 3.3 – 4.5 | 6 | |
| 62 | Belize | 3.7 | 3.4 – 4.1 | 3 |
| Brazil | 3,7 | 3.5 – 3.9 | 10 | |
| 64 | Jamaica | 3.6 | 3.4 – 3.8 | 6 |
| 65 | Ghana | 3.5 | 3.2 – 4.0 | 8 |
| Mexico | 3.5 | 3.3 – 3.7 | 10 | |
| Panama | 3.5 | 3.1 – 4.1 | 7 | |
| Peru | 3.5 | 3.1 – 3.8 | 7 | |
| Turkey | 3.5 | 3.1 – 4.0 | 11 | |
| 70 | Burkina Faso | 3.4 | 2.7 – 3.9 | 3 |
| Croatia | 3.4 | 3.2 – 3.7 | 7 | |
| Egypt | 3.4 | 3.0 – 3.9 | 9 | |
| Lesotho | 3.4 | 2.6 – 3.9 | 3 | |
| Poland | 3.4 | 3.0 – 3.9 | 11 | |
| Saudi Arabia | 3.4 | 2.7 – 4.1 | 5 | |
| Syria | 3.4 | 2.8 – 4.2 | 5 | |
| 77 | Laos | 3.3 | 2.1 – 4.4 | 3 |
| 78 | China | 3.2 | 2.9 – 3.5 | 14 |
| Morocco | 3.2 | 2.8 – 3.6 | 8 | |
| Senegal | 3.2 | 2.8 – 3.6 | 6 | |
| Sri Lanka | 3.2 | 2.7 – 3.6 | 7 | |
| Suriname | 3.2 | 2.2 – 3.6 | 3 | |
| 83 | Lebanon | 3.1 | 2.7 – 3.3 | 4 |
| Rwanda | 3.1 | 2.1 – 4.1 | 3 | |
| 85 | Dominican Republic | 3.0 | 2.5 – 3.6 | 6 |
| Mongolia | 3.0 | 2.4 – 3.6 | 4 | |
| Romania | 3.0 | 2.6 – 3.5 | 11 | |
| 88 | Armenia | 2.9 | 2.5 – 3.2 | 4 |
| Benin | 2.9 | 2.1 – 4.0 | 5 | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2.9 | 2.7 – 3.1 | 6 | |
| Gabon | 2.9 | 2.1 – 3.6 | 4 | |
| India | 2.9 | 2.7 – 3.1 | 14 | |
| Iran | 2.9 | 2.3 – 3.3 | 5 | |
| Mali | 2.9 | 2.3 – 3.6 | 8 | |
| Moldova | 2.9 | 2.3 – 3.7 | 5 | |
| Tanzania | 2.9 | 2.6 – 3.1 | 8 | |
| 97 | Algeria | 2.8 | 2.5 – 3.3 | 7 |
| Argentina | 2.8 | 2.5 – 3.1 | 10 | |
| Madagascar | 2.8 | 1.9 – 3.7 | 5 | |
| Malawi | 2.8 | 2.3 – 3.4 | 7 | |
| Mozambique | 2.8 | 2.4 – 3.1 | 8 | |
| Serbia and Montenegro | 2.8 | 2.5 – 3.3 | 7 | |
| 103 | Gambia | 2.7 | 2.3 – 3.1 | 7 |
| Macedonia | 2.7 | 2.4 – 3.2 | 7 | |
| Swaziland | 2.7 | 2.0 – 3.1 | 3 | |
| Yemen | 2.7 | 2.4 – 3.2 | 5 | |
| 107 | Belarus | 2.6 | 1.9 – 3.8 | 5 |
| Eritrea | 2.6 | 1.7 – 3.5 | 3 | |
| Honduras | 2.6 | 2.2 – 3.0 | 7 | |
| Kazakhstan | 2.6 | 2.2 – 3.2 | 6 | |
| Nicaragua | 2.6 | 2.4 – 2.8 | 7 | |
| Palestine | 2.6 | 2.1 – 2.8 | 3 | |
| Ukraine | 2.6 | 2.4 – 2.8 | 8 | |
| Vietnam | 2.6 | 2.3 – 2.9 | 10 | |
| Zambia | 2.6 | 2.3 – 2.9 | 7 | |
| Zimbabwe | 2.6 | 2.1 – 3.0 | 7 | |
| 117 | Afghanistan | 2.5 | 1.6 – 3.2 | 3 |
| Bolivia | 2.5 | 2.3 – 2.9 | 6 | |
| Ecuador | 2.5 | 2.2 – 2.9 | 6 | |
| Guatemala | 2.5 | 2.1 – 2.8 | 7 | |
| Guyana | 2.5 | 2.0 – 2.7 | 3 | |
| Libya | 2.5 | 2.0 – 3.0 | 4 | |
| Nepal | 2.5 | 1.9 – 3.0 | 4 | |
| Philippines | 2.5 | 2.3 – 2.8 | 13 | |
| Uganda | 2.5 | 2.2 – 2.8 | 8 | |
| 126 | Albania | 2.4 | 2.1 – 2.7 | 3 |
| Niger | 2.4 | 2.2 – 2.6 | 4 | |
| Russia | 2.4 | 2.3 – 2.6 | 12 | |
| Sierra Leone | 2.4 | 2.1 – 2.7 | 3 | |
| 130 | Burundi | 2.3 | 2.1 – 2.5 | 3 |
| Cambodia | 2.3 | 1.9 – 2.5 | 4 | |
| Congo, Republic of | 2.3 | 2.1 – 2.6 | 4 | |
| Georgia | 2.3 | 2.0 – 2.6 | 6 | |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2.3 | 2.1 – 2.5 | 5 | |
| Papua New Guinea | 2.3 | 1.9 – 2.6 | 4 | |
| Venezuela | 2.3 | 2.2 -2.4 | 10 | |
| 137 | Azerbaijan | 2.2 | 1.9 – 2.5 | 6 |
| Cameroon | 2.2 | 2.0 – 2.5 | 6 | |
| Ethiopia | 2.2 | 2.0 – 2.5 | 8 | |
| Indonesia | 2.2 | 2.1 – 2.5 | 13 | |
| Iraq | 2.2 | 1.5 – 2.9 | 4 | |
| Liberia | 2.2 | 2.1 – 2.3 | 3 | |
| Uzbekistan | 2.2 | 2.1 – 2.4 | 5 | |
| 144 | Congo, Democratic Republic | 2.1 | 1.8 – 2.3 | 4 |
| Kenya | 2.1 | 1.8 – 2.4 | 8 | |
| Pakistan | 2.1 | 1.7 – 2.6 | 7 | |
| Paraguay | 2.1 | 1.9 – 2.3 | 7 | |
| Somalia | 2.1 | 1.6 – 2.2 | 3 | |
| Sudan | 2.1 | 1.9 – 2.2 | 5 | |
| Tajikistan | 2.1 | 1.9 – 2.4 | 5 | |
| 151 | Angola | 2.0 | 1.8 – 2.1 | 5 |
| 152 | Cote d’Ivoire | 1.9 | 1.7 – 2.1 | 4 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 1.9 | 1.6 – 2.1 | 3 | |
| Nigeria | 1.9 | 1.7 – 2.0 | 9 | |
| 155 | Haiti | 1.8 | 1.5 – 2.1 | 4 |
| Myanmar | 1.8 | 1.7 – 2.0 | 4 | |
| Turkmenistan | 1.8 | 1.7 – 2.0 | 4 | |
| 158 | Bangladesh | 1.7 | 1.4 – 2.0 | 7 |
| Chad | 1.7 | 1.3 – 2.1 | 6 | |
Of course it is rather disconcerting that our 7.6 score is so far below #1 Iceland’s 9.7. And remember, this score is for 2005 (In 1995, our score was 7.79). With everything from Abramoff, to Cunningham, to a whole stable of Donkey Cons, there’s little chance we will score any better in 2006.
But also of great concern is the relatively small number of nations in the upper tiers. Then scores drop off rather quickly, to leave over 100 nations (including most of the Islamic world), which are scraping the bottom of the world. It makes a strong argument for Kissinger-esce Realism. At the very least, it gives emphasis to the name The Long War.
This does not mean that we will not prevail. Their were strong veins of fascism and racism (particularly anti-Semitism) running through the US and Britain going into WWII, but that didn’t stop us from whipping the Nazis. And we came out better for it. But this index shows that, even in the most “civilized” of nations, the impulse of man to subjugate and victimize his contemporaries, is far from dead.