Laurence Cockcroft argues that corruption has to be seen as the result of interplay between elite 'embedded networks', greed and organised crime. He shows how the growth of corruption has been facilitated by globalisation, the integration of new and expanded markets into the world economy, and by expansion of 'offshore' financial facilities.
How corrupt is the West? Europe and North America's formal self-perception is one of high standards in public life. And yet, corruption is receiving ever greater attention in the European, American and Canadian press, with high-profile cases affecting both the corporate and political worlds. This book identifies the driving forces behind such cases, particularly the role of political finance, lobbying, the banking system and organised crime. It analyses the sectors which are particularly prone to corruption, including sport, defence and pharmaceuticals. In the course of their investigation, the authors consider why anti-corruption legislation has not been more effective and why there is an increasing discrepancy between regulation and commercial and cultural practice. Are Europe and the US genuinely serious about fighting corruption and if so what measures will be taken to roll it back?
Northern Stars tells the dramatic story of a Chartist March from Todmorden in West Yorkshire to London in 1839 seen through the eyes of two children aged ten and twelve.