Novel Approaches to Local Government Corruption in India and China
India and China have not only been the home of new varieties of
entrepreneurialism. In these countries, creative individuals have also come up with
novel approaches to dealing with local government corruption.<br>
<br>
An expatriate Indian physics professor in the U.S. came up with the
brilliant idea of a Zero-Rupee Note to hand out in situations where
local officials expect or ask for bribes.<br>
<br>
According to the <a href="http://zerocurrency.org/" target="”_blank”">Zero Currency website</a>, "The zero
currency note is a tool to help you achive the goal of zero
corruption. The note is a way for any human being to say NO to
corruption without the fear of facing an encounter with persons in
authority. Next
time someone asks you for a bribe, just take your zero
currency note and hand it to them. This will let the other person know
that you refuse to give or take any money in order to perform services
required by law or to give or take money to do something illegal."<br>
<br>
According to <a href="http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15393714&…; target="”_blank”">an
article
in last week's <i>Economist</i></a>, Prof. Anand "thinks the notes
work because corrupt officials so rarely encounter
resistance that they get scared when they do. And ordinary people are
more willing to protest, since the notes have an organisation behind
them and they do not feel on their own."<br>
<br>
The Zero Currency program, which includes zero notes in all major
currencies, including the dollar, is part of <a href="http://india.5thpillar.org/activities.html" target="”_blank”">5th Pillar</a>,
which also focuses on local government activities via use of the Right
to Information Act followed by the organization's People's Inspection
& Audit of such things as local road projects.<br>
<br>
According to <a href="http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15393865&…; target="”_blank”">another
<i>Economist</i>
article</a>, a truly novel approach has led to the closing of
"capital representative offices" of local governments in Beijing, which
have been used to lavishly entertain local officials in the capital as well
as lobby the central government. These offices had within them good
restaurants and fancy guesthouses. But since local governments have
little actual business in Beijing, "any favour the lower-level offices
might try to curry is likely to be illicit."<br>
<br>
After the execution of his boss in 2001, a former secretary to a deputy
mayor in a northeastern Chinese city wrote a series of novels
collectively called Beijing Office Director, which brought attention to
the capital representative offices and their illicit activities. This
led to an investigation of the offices by the Communist Party's
anti-corruption agency.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
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