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Myths of Political Independence, or How Not to Solve the Corruption Problem: Lessons for Vietnam

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  • Martin Painter

Abstract

Corruption is widely identified as a critical problem for developing economies and is also viewed as a priority issue by international organisations and donors. Governments such as Vietnam place anti‐corruption high on their policy agenda. However, external observers regularly criticise them for not meeting their targets. The problem with the critique is that it mostly places the blame on implementation failures when the issue is as much a design failure. Templates for anti‐corruption success in fact misread the practical lessons. One element of the standard template, the need for an ‘independent’ anti‐corruption enforcement system, misreads the meaning and empirical reality of ‘independence’. Evidence is presented from Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia to show that their anti‐corruption agencies are ‘independent’ more in the sense that they are powerful, rather than in the sense that they are apolitical. The lesson for Vietnam is that misleading design principles such as ‘political independence’ are a distraction from the task of strengthening the anti‐corruption law enforcement system.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Painter, 2014. "Myths of Political Independence, or How Not to Solve the Corruption Problem: Lessons for Vietnam," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 1(2), pages 273-286, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:asiaps:v:1:y:2014:i:2:p:273-286
    DOI: 10.1002/app5.22
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Patrick Meagher, 2005. "Anti‐corruption agencies: Rhetoric Versus reality," Journal of Economic Policy Reform, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 69-103.
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    Cited by:

    1. Matthew Dornan, 2016. "The Political Economy of Road Management Reform: Papua New Guinea's National Road Fund," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 3(3), pages 443-457, September.
    2. Hamelin, Nicolas & Nwankwo, Sonny & Gbadamosi, Ayantunji, 2020. "Social marketing and the corruption conundrum in morocco: An exploratory analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).

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