Redesigning the Northern state to combat global corruption

by Susan Hawley

first published 25 November 2005

Summary

This paper argues that Northern institutions have a significant impact on corruption in developing countries, particularly in the form of bribery by Northern companies and money laundering by Northern banks of the proceeds of corruption. Furthermore, Northern states have been directly and indirectly complicity in these activities, primarily by turning a blind eye and failing to take action. If corruption is be tackled internationally, the paper argues that the Northern state itself needs to be redesigned in order to ensure that this complicity comes to an end.

This paper was presented at a conference "Redesigning the State: Political Corruption in Development Policy and Practice" organised by the Institute for Development Policy and Management at the University of Manchester, and the Global Poverty Research Group.