The Peripheral State and Corruption in The Global South

Abstract

Corruption is a major enduring feature of the political economies of the states in the Global South. It finds expression in various illegal and unethical practices, including bribery, extortion, embezzlement, and fraudulent procurement schemes, perpetrated particularly by public officials occupying various positions in the branches of government and the constituent agencies. Two of the major emergent issues are: (a) What are the major causes of corruption in the Global South? and (b) What are the modalities for addressing the scourge of corruption? The corpus of scholarly literature that has emerged to address these two interlocking questions has focused on the causal factors of corruption, such as elite pathologies and institutional weaknesses, and on legal and institutional reforms as major remedies. In this article, the major contention is that the extant scholarly literature has neglected the peripheral state as a major motor force for corruption in the Global South. This article examines the role of the peripheral state in the Global South in the perpetration of corruption and suggests its democratic reconstitution as the major panacea.

Killing a Country and Getting Away with It: Neopatrimonialism and Incurable Corruption by Political Elites Linked to International Development Aid

“…According to Kieh (2023, p. 87), the African state does not reflect the historical and cultural experiences of its citizens. This author adds that, historically, the colonial powers incorporated their colonies into the world capitalistic system as marginal peripheral state players (Kieh, 2023, p. 93).…”

“…According to Kieh (2023, p. 87), the African state does not reflect the historical and cultural experiences of its citizens. This author adds that, historically, the colonial powers incorporated their colonies into the world capitalistic system as marginal peripheral state players (Kieh, 2023, p. 93). He concludes that as marginal and dependent social formations, the peripheral states in the Global South lack the institutional capacity to discipline all actors, both internal and external (Kieh, 2023, p. 96).…”

“…About the notion of peripheral quasi-states, Kieh (2023, p. 82) considers that peripheral states have many elite pathological and institutional weaknesses. Since the end of the Cold War, these states have a reduced geopolitical value in the new global order.…”

“…Since the end of the Cold War, these states have a reduced geopolitical value in the new global order. Mainly producers of primary goods (agriculture, minerals, oil), they are now marginal actors with regard to semi-periphery states (which have an industrial base, such as Brazil and South Korea) and central states (Kieh, 2023, p. 84). According to Kieh (2023, p. 85), the peripheral states ensure the maintenance of a dependent relationship within the global order.…”

“…Mainly producers of primary goods (agriculture, minerals, oil), they are now marginal actors with regard to semi-periphery states (which have an industrial base, such as Brazil and South Korea) and central states (Kieh, 2023, p. 84). According to Kieh (2023, p. 85), the peripheral states ensure the maintenance of a dependent relationship within the global order. Their bureaucracy cooperates with the economic and most powerful classes.…”