Why fighting corruption is more complicated than we think | Michael Johnston

Is corruption the world's favorite scapegoat for failed development? And why are wealthy democracies so eager to lecture poorer countries about good governance while struggling with corruption at home?

In this episode of In Pursuit of Development, Dan Banik speaks with Michael Johnston, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Colgate University and one of the world's leading scholars of corruption.

Drawing on decades of research, Johnston challenges conventional thinking about corruption, arguing that it goes far beyond bribery and illegal transactions. The conversation explores how political influence, elite networks, and the abuse of power shape societies, including some of the world's most established democracies.

They discuss Johnston's influential four syndromes of corruption, the limitations of global corruption rankings, the relationship between corruption and economic development, and the dangers of politicians weaponizing anti-corruption rhetoric. The discussion also examines the shortcomings of international efforts to promote good governance.

Host:

Professor Dan Banik,

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-banik/

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