WASHINGTON, DC – As corruption scandals rattle Latin America, many observers are asking if the region will ever shake off its legacy of weak institutions. I believe the answer is yes.
My optimism is based partly on the history of the United States, founded by leaders who were highly concerned about corruption; by some accounts, they devised the Constitution with the specific goal of vaccinating the new republic against vice. Despite their efforts, however, the US government soon became as venal as any of the old regimes in Europe – and, as Francis Fukuyama has argued, remained so for more than a century.
Even after the US finally started cleaning up the federal government, political patronage endured at the state and municipal levels. Policies to increase government transparency, such as the Freedom of Information Act, did not come into force until the 1960s.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: A few decades ago poverty, military juntas, the power of the oligarchs, and social injustice were the rule rather than the exception in most of Latin America. When viewed from this context, one cannot help but be amazed on how much has been accomplished in such a short period of time. Naturally .... more needs to be done. The culture of corruption that exists in Latin America will take some time to overcome .... but I concur with the above analysis .... with time transparency and the rule of law will succeed .... but like I said .... it will take time.