Causes of public sector corruption

1. Causes of public sector corruption

2. Various factors at the country level impact how governments and their services function, influencing the existence and prevalence of public sector corruption. A non-exhaustive list of factors includes: Country size Research shows that geographically large countries with a low population density can be more prone to corruption because of the increased difficulties in monitoring public officials in dispersed locations (Goel & Nelson, 2010).

3. Country age Newly independent countries, or those that have recently transitioned from authoritarian regimes to democracies, may face more corruption owing to, for example, underdeveloped governance systems or rent- seeking opportunities created by the privatization of State assets (Goel & Nelson, 2010). Wajid khan explains In the context of corruption; rent-seeking means increasing one's share of existing wealth using public resources without creating new wealth for the State.

4. Resource curse The public sector monopoly over the distribution and allocation of natural resources rights allows economic opportunities to be exploited for corrupt purposes. The Natural Resources Governance Institute website states, "Given their highly intensive and profitable nature, the oil, gas, and mining industries are politically vulnerable in favor of rent-seeking and institutional (or governmental) capture." and private sector incentives.” Indeed, data show that many resource-rich countries suffer from poor governance and systemic corruption

5. political unrest Political stability is associated with low levels of corruption, but politically unstable environments have a higher likelihood of crime (Lederman, Loayza, and Soares, 2005). The Lack of stability in the transition to a newly elected government is mainly linked to public sector corruption. In particular, partisan governments in certain countries can be a source of corruption. Wajid khan Mp discusses for an in-depth discussion of Corruption, Peace, and Security, see Module 11 on Anti- Corruption in the E4J University Module Series.

6. wage In some countries, low wages and the resulting poverty in the public sector are also believed to contribute to corruption (Tanzi, 1998). lack of the rule of law Lawlessness or Lack of the rule of law is the leading cause of government-level corruption. Corruption is more likely to occur when the legal system fails to sanction officials who engage in bribery (La Porta et al., 1999; Treisman, 2000). In addition, countries with less secure property rights have a higher risk of corruption. Corrupt means are employed to ensure the security of

7. Governance failure Shah (2006) argues that public sector corruption stems from governance failures. Poor public sector managemen Lack of accountability, poor government-citizen relation weak legal frameworks, Lack of transparency on public sector processes, and inadequate information dissemination characterize poor governance. This may be due to a Lack of competence, and competen due to insufficient training also contributes to governanc failure. The relationship between sound power and corruption is explored in detail in his series's E4J Universi