Geographically uneven landscapes of Asian corruption

Abstract

Corruption plagues all Asian countries to one extent or another. Rather than the universal one-size-fits-all models, corruption must be understood within national and local contexts, that is, as geographically variable. This paper explores this issue in three steps. First it offers a discussion of corruption’s origins and consequences, noting the catalyzing role played by anti-democratic governments, censorship, poverty, illiteracy, and cultural norms. Second, it maps Asian corruption...