The Struggle Against Corruption: A Comparative Study

186 Pages·2004·1.145 MB·English

by  Roberta Ann Johnson (eds.)

The Struggle Against Corruption
Also by Roberta Ann Johnson
Puerto Rico:Commonwealth or Colony? (1980)
Whistleblowing:When It Works—And Why (2003)
The Struggle Against
Corruption:
A Comparative Study
Edited by
Roberta Ann Johnson
THESTRUGGLEAGAINSTCORRUPTION
© ROBERTA ANN JOHNSON,2004.
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2004 978-1-4039-6268-3
All rights reserved.No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
First published 2004 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN™
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PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave
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ISBN 978-1-4039-6269-0 ISBN 978-1-4039-8100-4 (eBook)
DOI 10.1057/9781403981004
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The struggle against corruption :a comparative study / [edited by] Roberta Ann
Johnson.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1.Commercial crimes.2.White collar crimes.3.Globalization.I.Johnson,
Roberta Ann.
HV6768.S77 2004
364.1(cid:2)323—dc22 2004046073
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd.,Chennai,India.
First edition November 2004
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Dedicated to the Memory of my Parents,
Louis and Jean Johnson
This page intentionally left blank
C O N T E N T S
Series Editor Foreword viii
Preface and Acknowledgments x
1. About Corruption 1
Roberta Ann Johnson and Shalendra Sharma
2. The United States:In Search of the Perfect Law 21
Roberta Ann Johnson
3. White Corruption in Israel 53
Chaim Kalchheim
4. Russia and Her Ghosts of the Past 81
Jasmine Martirossian
5. India:Between Majesty and Modernity 109
Maya Chadda
6. Corruption in Four Countries 145
Roberta Ann Johnson
About the Authors 167
Index 169
S E R I E S E D I T O R F O R E W O R D
The Struggle against Corruption:A Comparative Studyoffers a new perspective
on a very old subject:How can corruption in government office be elim-
inated,or at least reduced and made subject to punishment,without endan-
gering those who reveal its presence? By bringing together studies of this
complex problem in the United States, Israel, Russia, and India, Roberta
Ann Johnson offers an outstanding example of the kind of books now
being published in the Palgrave series Perspectives in Comparative Politics.
Its topic is of great and obvious importance,its scholarship is up to date and
comprehensive,its style is clear and persuasive,and,perhaps most important
of all,it is fully and consistently comparative.
All books in this series are designed to be scholarly,topic-oriented stud-
ies of a particular problem,accessible to upper-division students as well as
to graduate students and professors.They begin with an introductory
chapter, covering the relevant literature and laying out the problem, and
end with a concluding chapter,summarizing what has been learned about
the problems in the three or more nations covered, and elucidating the
important comparative lessons learned.
The Struggle against Corruption meets the guidelines for books in this
series perfectly.The introduction is erudite yet absolutely clear,and the four
case study chapters bring out the truths about the level of corruption—and
attitudes toward corruption—in each nation. No effort is made to force
similarities to emerge—comparison means recognizing difference as well as
finding points in common from case to case.
Nonetheless, similarities do emerge, and these are brought out in the
final chapter.An additional and very important strength of Dr. Johnson’s
conclusion is her determination to bring out, in no uncertain terms, the
moral case against corruption.Arguments others have made for the prag-
matic value of “a little bit”of corruption are carefully weighed and cogently
disposed of. Corruption does far more harm than any passing good
obtained,and Johnson provides the evidence and the argument we need to
remind ourselves and others that this is so.We live in a time when students
(and their teachers) can easily become overwhelmed by the level of public
dishonesty apparent in nation after nation, including our own. Johnson
Series Editor Foreword ix
never rants,rages,or preaches;she simply points out,in detail,the serious
moral and economic costs of corruption.
The Struggle against Corruption is written in a lively and interesting style,
even as Johnson makes subtle and complex distinctions,explaining the most
esoteric theories of others in this field. She knows how to keep her
language simple and straightforward while maintaining comprehensive
treatment of her topic.
I am very proud to have this book join the series Perspectives in
Comparative Politics. It is an important contribution to the literature of
political science and will,I feel sure,be recognized as such.
KAY LAWSON