Beyond Measurement

Since the 1990s, governance and anti-corruption have become preoccupations of the international development and research communities, leading to the proliferation of sophisticated measures, which, while a critical starting point, have not had significant impact at the country level. This chapter examines approaches to reducing corruption, including structural state reform, simplification and reduction of administrative discretion, transparency and accountability, international agreements and conventions, and anti-corruption bodies. While some approaches have produced results in specific areas, their impact has been limited. The chapter argues that we should think about corruption differently, not as a market distortion or unethical behaviour but as a misallocation of power. To address corruption requires interventions that reallocate power among stakeholders. The limited success in addressing corruption suggests that policy-makers and the international community have not been able to reallocate power, mostly due to lack of political leverage to discipline entrenched local actors.