farmdoc's blog post number 413

Lists. You know I can’t go past one. I’m attracted to them. Besotted by them. Enamoured of them. So here are two more. Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Transparency International [TI] is an apolitical global civil society organisation founded in 1993 whose mission is to create change towards a world free of corruption. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. So each year TI puts out a ‘Global Corruption Barometer’. The 2009 Barometer reflects the views of over 73,000 people from 69 countries around the world. In other words, its methodology is subjective. And it must be suspect because 73,000 people is a minute proportion of the world’s population, 69 countries is about a third of all the countries on earth, and in both cases the sample was not random. The 2009 Barometer shows increasing corruption. Make of that what you will. I guess Vision of Humanity is another NGO. I’ve never heard of it until now. And its ‘About Us’ webpage doesn’t enlighten me much. Each year its publishes a ‘Global Peace Index’. The 2009 Index ranks 144 countries according to several measurable numerical indicators and drivers. Make of the 2009 Index what you will. In short, I’m sceptical about the 2009 ‘Global Corruption Barometer’ because of its methodology, and I’m sceptical about the 2009 ‘Global Peace Index’ because I know nothing of Vision of Humanity. Ho hum.