10 most corrupt governments

Everybody despairs at corruption in government, and it’s unsettling to see how prevalent and deep it runs. While some countries enjoy high levels of freedom and transparency, others are cloaked in secrecy to hide incidents of embezzlement, nepotism, and violence. Some of the countries on this list are dictatorships; others try to put on the pretense of democracy and fail dismally. The following countries are scored on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean) on the 2012 Corruption Perception Index, created by Transparency International. Although no country had a perfect score, more than half scored below 50, indicating an endemic problem with corruption worldwide.

Haiti – 19

Extreme poverty in Haiti is the norm for almost all but the elite few who run the government, and has remained so even after the overthrow of former dictators and numerous promises of reform.

Venezuela – 19

Venezuela has repeatedly found itself near the top of the world’s most-corrupt countries list following the discovery of oil in the early 1900s. Oil is now known as “the devil’s excrement” for the negative effects it has on governments that harbor large quantities of the resource.

Iraq – 18

The U.S. War on Terror that led forces to Iraq to overthrow former dictator Saddam Hussein was supposed to bring democracy and peace to the oil-rich but freedom-poor country. Since he was deposed, however, corruption has continued at high rates, and promises of reform have gone unfulfilled.

Turkmenistan – 17

When a president receives 97 percent of the vote, as President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow did in 2012 – his most recent election for his second term – something seems fishy. In fact, during his first election, no opposition parties were permitted to elect a candidate to run against him. Bribery is pervasive in Turkmenistan’s government, and under Berdimuhamedow’s rule, the costs of bribes for everything from traffic offenses to more serious crimes have risen dramatically. The country ranks extraordinarily low for rule of law and accountability, and is widely considered an authoritarian regime despite its claims of democracy.

Uzbekistan – 17

In power since 1991, President Islam Karimov has maintained his hold on Uzbekistan with the help of ruthless security forces, along with the interior ministry. They have dismantled civil society groups that buck state policy, and Karimov’s administration effectively acts as the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government.

Myanmar – 15

Despite some milestone achievements in recent years such as the release of famed political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as the deregulation of government-censored media, Myanmar continues to struggle with corruption. An enormous illicit economy exists and is notoriously protected by the ruling elite, especially organized crime, drug, and human trafficking activities.

Sudan – 13

After the independence of South Sudan in 2011, corruption in Sudan itself has only increased. President Omar al-Bashir established an anti-graft agency to increase accountability, but it is widely viewed as a cosmetic gesture, as no corruption has been reported since its inception. Embezzlement and fraud are common occurrences within government, and its open-budget rating is also considered “scant to none.”

Afghanistan – 8

High hopes for a democratic Afghanistan once it was freed from Taliban rule were dashed when the alliance realized that instituting democracy was going to be harder than it thought. Although President Hamid Karzai is thought to be an ally of the West, he has done little to curb corruption throughout the country, even with regard to the suspected fraud in his own election. Additionally, financial scandals have abounded, illegal land-grabbing remains a constant concern (both by government forces and individuals), and terrorist organizations face little opposition in operating within the country’s borders.

North Korea – 8

Amid the daily concerns over North Korea’s nuclear capabilities, an erratic and inexperienced Kim Jong-un continues to threaten Western targets with potential missile attacks (although the number of memes that have popped up at his expense reveal that most people are wholly unconcerned). But draconian laws within the country are what really reveal the level of corruption North Koreans face, such as bans on foreign media, complete government control over radio and TV, and pervasive bribery within the police force. It is becoming less and less common for North Koreans to attempt to report on corruption.

Somalia – 8

It’s a tough job to out-corrupt North Korea, but Somalia appeared up for it in 2012. A nonexistent system for accountability in the expenditure of public funds, abundant graft, and continued misplacement of international donor funds helped push Somalia to the top of the list. Promised reform has yet to take effect. A prolonged civil war in the 1990s, followed by an unstable and ineffective transitional government, allowed for corruption to take hold while the country was in a fragile state, and it has not yet been corrected.