CORRUPTION FREE SOCIETY
WHY DENMARK IS CLEAN
Rajika Jayatilake praises Denmark’s ranking as the world’s least corrupt nation for the fifth consecutive year
Although corruption has become a way of life globally, there are countries that aren’t corrupt because of a solid layer of societal trust. As 18th century Anglican writer and preacher Robert South said, “society is built upon trust.”
Indian spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy added to this: “A perfect society is built upon mutual trust. Character is the source of that trust.”
Denmark, among other nations in the world, places an emphasis on trust in social, governmental and business interactions. In fact, Danes are among the most trusting people on Earth.
A recent IMF Country Focus report observes: “Whether it’s based in enlightened self-interest or pure altruism, social trust is paramount in Denmark. Citizens trust that the government will enact policies in the public’s interest. Government trusts that citizens will maintain the social fabric. People trust that their fellow Danes will do what is required for the greater good.”
Anthropologists say that the Danes’ sense of trust is due to relative peace in the Nordic region over the centuries, unlike the rest of Europe. And a political system founded on trust and mutual support has evolved through this sense of stability.
Rooted in society’s trust is the country’s robust social welfare system, which provides generous unemployment support, free healthcare and higher education, as well as heavily subsidised childcare. On the other hand, the Danish people pay a substantial percentage of their personal income as taxes to the government with implicit faith that the money will be spent for the benefit of all.
“Essentially, with all the social support from the government, you’re redistributing a lot of money to strangers, and we know people are not likely to vote for that kind of system if they don’t have at least some degree of trust in strangers,” says Professor of Economics at Denmark’s Aarhus University Dr. Christian Bjørnskov.
This societal trust in Denmark extends to the government, the police, the judiciary and healthcare services. People who wield authority in these establishments are trusted to carry out their responsibilities in the best interests of society. As a result, there is very little corruption.
Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index, which ranks countries according to the extent of corruption in the public sector, recently recognised Denmark as the least corrupt country in the world – for the fifth consecutive year.
Denmark scored 90 out of 100, beating Finland and New Zealand, which scored 87. Norway’s count was 84, and Singapore and Sweden were 83.
This is hardly surprising since Danish government entities function with incredible openness. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which opens the window to the world for Denmark, carries out its responsibilities with maximum openness and transparency.
As part of walking the talk, the Foreign Ministry publishes on its homepage all cases of irregularities including ongoing cases. Moreover, it has zero tolerance of corruption, and reacts promptly and sternly if Danish funds are discovered or even suspected of being misused.
Denmark is a country with sound laws and a strong legal framework to maintain its integrity. Its penal code criminalises corruption, fraud and embezzlement. Other rules and regulations based on the principles of openness, fairness and equal treatment emphasise the importance of transparency in public administration. And Denmark has always been ranked among the 10 countries with the strongest protection for their citizens’ freedoms and dignity.
Moreover, it considers the implementation of laws as an imperative. Adding strength to implementation is the clear separation of powers between the executive, legislature and judiciary.
The independence of Denmark’s judiciary makes it a low risk target for corruption. Therefore, Danish citizens have a high regard for their judiciary, and respect the decisions handed down by the courts as being independent and fair.
Trust is a major force that activates Denmark’s corporate sector as well. Danish businesses are bound by public trust to deliver high quality products in a timely manner. And if they’re unable to meet their deadlines, they must communicate the reasons for such delays to the public. As a result, there’s accountability with every step they take.
Chairman of Transparency International in Denmark Jesper Olsen says: “To have our house in order is a fundamental aspect of our international ability to be competitive.”
Denmark is among the world’s most prosperous countries. This is because decision makers do what’s best for the country and take decisions that will maximise the use of its natural resources rather than decide on the basis of personal gain.
Moreover, the country’s respect for conservation and the environment is a distinct hallmark of integrity. Over two-thirds of Denmark’s clean energy comes from biomass combustion while wind and solar power provide 50 percent of the country’s electricity supply.
As celebrated neuroscientist and author Abhijit Naskar notes, “reform the politicians, you ensure reform in society for a few decades. Reform the citizens, you ensure reform in society for centuries.”
To have our house in order is a fundamental aspect of our international ability to be competitive
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