Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Aren't We All a Bit Corrupt? - Megan McArdle - Business - The Atlantic

Granted, Greek corruption is depressingly crude, conspicuous, and grasping, sort of like being mugged in a dark alley or shaken down by a wise guy. By contrast, Irish corruption, much like its U.S. counterpart, is rather more genteel, discreet, and white collar than the Greek variety. For this reason, it's usually treated as mere "cronyism" -- regrettable, perhaps, but not truly corrupt "in the sense of Greece."

On the other hand, the U.S./Irish version is actually far more efficient at separating the yokels from their money. In any meaningful sense, then, shouldn't it be considered more corrupt? The fact that the theft is mostly legal and barely even noticeable may make it more respectable, but it hardly makes it more honorable.

A very small percentage of the white collar criminals in the US are ever prosecuted... the focus is on drug dealers... but drug dealers were never close to bringing down the world financial system.

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