Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The analysis of the international processes is essential in studies of international relations. In this regard, the review is relevant and creative development of the area-studies region particularly those in proximity, intensity, leaflets and interest re

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Anti-Corruption Strategies (ACS) and Fighting Corruption
Monica Dorhoi
Michigan State University
Department of Political Science
dorhoiio@msu.edu
There is no doubt about the corrosive effect of corruption on the
fundamentals of the democratic principles (such as rule of law,
openness, transparency and democratic accountability and equity in
dealing with citizens). Corruption also undermines the efficiency of
public services, the transparency of applicable laws and regulations,
the consistency and the coherence in policy formation and ethical
standards). In the process of democratization, the post-Communist
Central and Eastern European countries have adopted Anti-Corruption
Atrategies with the purpose of creating the necessary legal and
institutional framework or strengthening/enforcing the existing ones.
Nevertheless, after more than a decade from the fall of communism they
are still ranked in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) by
Transparency International at the bottom as “very corrupt” compared to
the Western European countries. For example, in the CPI index of 2003,
Netherlands is ranked 8, Germany 20 and France 23 while Estonia is 33,
Hungary 40, Lithuania 41, Bulgaria 54 and Romania 83.
The purpose of this paper is investigate how curbing or reduction of
corruption can come about as even if the widely agreed definition of
corruption is the misuse of public power for private benefits, the
complexity of the corruption phenomenon makes it impossible to have a
universal panacea. It will evaluate the effectiveness of
Anti-Corruption Strategies of the Central and Eastern European
countries, from both a theoretical and comparative perspective. This
paper will also investigate the relevant application to the Central and
Eastern European countries of the successful strategies of the USA,
England and Scandinavian countries, which experienced reductions of
governmental corruption 1900s. For example, in the 19th century, a
great many U.S. cities and states, were governed in a very corrupt
manner, but the civil service reform movement, coupled with the
Progressive movement (and the Populist movement in some more rural
states), gradually eliminated (or at least greatly reduced) the
corruption in and of government.
One hypothesis is that for an Anti-Corruption Strategy (ACS) to be
effective, its components should vary vertically based on targeted
types of corruption (small or petty, medium or high level corruption)
and horizontally, the domain it occurs and the time span to achieve the
proposed goals (short, medium and long term goals). In addition,
governing elites and public support have to stand behind the ACS. For
example, the Romanian Cabinet's ACS lasted only 1 year and included
the enactment in less than 6 months of more than 10 fundamental
anti-corruption laws with virtually no public debate. A preliminary
qualitative investigation does suggest that the efficiency of ACS
strategies is correlated with the quality of the legislation, political
accountability,
separation of powers in the state, electoral cycles and political
stability, traditions, previous regime type, strong civil society
participation and independent media, international organizations’
pressure, competitive private sector and new public sector
management.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the nature and elements of the latest anti-corruption strategies while developing the first comprehensive quantitative assessment index, which I call the Anti-Corruption Assessment Index (ACAI). First, I shall discuss the need for ACS by making a literature review of the fight against corruption. Then, I shall describe ACAI and its methodology. More specifically, I discuss the need for quantitative anti-corruption strategy assessments and the ACAI, including its components, research stages, mathematical formula, and scale, as well as weaknesses and further suggested lines of refinement of ACAI. The next section is dedicated to the presentation of findings and trends for overall and each ACAI sub-area.