Bìznes Inform (Dec 2018)
The Public Sentiments as a Factor in the Dynamics of Anti-Corruption Formal Rules
Abstract
The article is aimed at determining the reasons for non-conformity of estimation of corruption on the part of society to the real level of corruption and its consequences. It is demonstrated that because of the limited corruption experience of ordinary citizens most of them form their own idea about the level of corruption of the country from external sources, predominantly, the media. The reasons of discrepancy of estimation of the level of corruption by the society to the real level of corruption are considered. It is demonstrated that the main reason for the exaggerated public estimation of the level of corruption is the active manipulation of public sentiments, while the reason for the low public estimation of the level of corruption is the restriction of free speech. It is proved that an exaggerated public estimation of the level of corruption can lead to such negative consequences as: preference in anti-corruption policies of repressive measures characterized by low efficiency; significant inverse of anti-corruption formal rules, which complicates the abolition of the latter in case of inefficiency; final loss of feedback between the real level of corruption and its public estimation.
