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The grass isn't always greener. I think the core underlying issue at all of this is social divides within countries. When groups of people become sufficiently antagonistic towards one another, it really enables widespread corruption because people will actively blind themselves (or handwave away) to the wrongs of "their side" and magnify the wrongs of "the other side" with no limits to the hyperbole.

And Europe is most certainly not an exception to this, especially in current times. For instance 65% of EU citizens do not believe that high level corruption is sufficiently pursued. [1] And basically every EU country (outside of Scandiland) has a majority to vast majority who believe that corruption is widespread in their country.

[1] - https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3217




But public perception doesn’t necessarily reflect actual levels of corruption. Having dodgy planning approved is not the same as buying a seat at the head of the government for a quarter billion dollars.


Corruption is always measured by perceptions. There are many reasons for this but when it comes to high level corruption it's especially clear - high level corruption, in most countries, is rarely pursued, let alone prosecuted. And efforts to do such may themselves be driven by corruption. And people's actions, as on all things, will be guided by their perceptions. And so things like corruption's influence on things like starting a business will be driven largely by perceptions.


Public perception do not reflect actual corruption, but it affects how likely people try to start a new business.

IMO, this is more important.


I'd say US corruption is now more transparent than EU corruption :D

That was once different, with Berlusconi at the helm in Italy while owning the major TV outlets.


The grass isn’t always greener

Like most things in life, I suppose it is all relative? Diabetes sucks, but it sure sucks less than cancer.

Of course it would be lovely if there is zero corruption, zero pollution, zero nepotism etc. Which is highly unlikely to happen?

Which brings the question - what is the best country to live, relatively speaking?




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