: ALL ABOVE THE LAW?! The Costs of Corruption Available in:
Franšais, русский, العربية, Espa˝ol, 中文 April 8, 2004ŚMore than
$1 trillion dollars (US$1,000 billion) is paid in bribes each
year, according to ongoing research at the World Bank Institute
(WBI). Daniel Kaufmann, the Institute's director for Governance,
says this US$1 trillion figure is an estimate of actual bribes
paid worldwide in both rich and developing countries. "It is
important to emphasize that this is not simply a developing
country problem," Kaufmann says. "Fighting corruption is a
global challenge." The $1 trillion figure, calculated using
2001-02 economic data compares with an estimated size of the
world economy at that time of just over US$30 trillion, Kaufmann
says, and does not include embezzlement of public funds or theft
of public assets. It is extremely difficult to assess the extent
of worldwide embezzlement of public funds, "but we do know it is
a very serious issue in many settings." For example Transparency
International estima