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Source: Getty

In The Media

Sarah Chayes on Corruption

Day-to-day corruption is not only detrimental to a country’s economy, but can also make people angry and more sympathetic to violent extremism.

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By Sarah Chayes
Published on Feb 25, 2015
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Democracy, Conflict, and Governance

The Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program is a leading source of independent policy research, writing, and outreach on global democracy, conflict, and governance. It analyzes and seeks to improve international efforts to reduce democratic backsliding, mitigate conflict and violence, overcome political polarization, promote gender equality, and advance pro-democratic uses of new technologies.

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Source: Voice of America

Carol Castiel and VOA corruption correspondent Jeffrey Young spoke with Carnegie’s Sarah Chayes about her new book Thieves of State. Chayes explained how corruption is an under-recognized driver of extreme behavior, and how Western officials fail to understand how personally humiliating corruption is in countries like Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Ukraine. Corruption that people face every single day is not only detrimental to a country’s economy, but is also wounding to a person’s dignity—it makes people angry, and can at times lead to violent extremism, she warned.

This interview was originally broadcast on Voice of America.

About the Author

Sarah Chayes

Former Senior Fellow, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program

Sarah Chayes is internationally recognized for her innovative thinking on corruption and its implications. Her work explores how severe corruption can help prompt such crises as terrorism, revolutions and their violent aftermaths, and environmental degradation.

    Recent Work

  • Commentary
    China Financial Markets test

      Sarah Chayes

  • Paper
    Fighting the Hydra: Lessons From Worldwide Protests Against Corruption

      Sarah Chayes

Sarah Chayes
Former Senior Fellow, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program
Sarah Chayes
SecurityDemocracyNorth AmericaUnited StatesMiddle EastNorth AfricaSouthern, Eastern, and Western AfricaSouth AsiaEgyptGulfLevantMaghreb

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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