Comments by "irresistablejewel" (@irresistablejewel) on "Ukraine Corrupt? Compared to What?" video.
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Is Ukraine Corrupt? Now you ask....? Even just based on the evidence shown here, it's clear that Ukraine was and is corrupt.
It should be mentioned that "Transparency International" was founded by former employees of "The World Bank" (an American organisation) and their "Corruption Perceptions Index" is largely related to their potential customer base and the concept of one global bank (to rule us all).
Denmark (#1) It's a major exporter of renewable technology (windmills), has: very low unemployment; state funded health and higher-education; while they have Professors teaching school-children "holistically" (eg learning geography in Chinese). With an ordered society and balance of payments surplus, they are ideal customers... because they don't actually need the World Bank.
America (#24) It has around $33 Trillion in national debt; is currently sending billions to (another) corrupt country with people living on the streets, so it's obvious there is corruption somewhere and the perpetrators do need the World bank (if only to get a good write-up) so they can keep printing money and exporting it.
I suggest there are: lies, damn lies, statistics and whatever they are doing...
Since the fall of the Berlin wall was in 1989, before many of these former Soviet states became countries; the German figure (#8) would include East Germany.
I walked from West to East Berlin and back in 89'; the subway tunnels were still bricked up; left the neon lights and loud music, found a simpler lifestyle; a bit like leaving a fair-ground.
It's clear that: not everybody wants what "Transparency International" wants; every country has some corruption, but if their figures were to be believed; countries would fall apart.
In the early 90's Kiev was regarded as more violent and corrupt than Moscow; hard to believe maybe; but there were powerful armed groups with territorial disputes; the gypsies (a law unto themselves) and those that wanted power (or wanted to stay in power) in a new country. The movie "From Russia With Love" might been set in Ukraine, instead of Czechoslovakia (which broke up into "the Czech Republic" and "the Slovak Republic", in 1992. Yugoslavia also broke up in 1992 (quite violently, into five pieces; known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia); all these countries operated under the Soviet system. If these countries were as corrupt as "Transparency International" claims they wouldn't exist and while things like a "soft currency" and a morality something like UK in the 1950's ("gay pride" parades; casinos; homelessness... unacceptable!) Their rules won't allow the World Bank and IMF to do what they normally do (try and own the infrastructure).
The "downside" of the Soviet system is excessive: "red-tape"; low wages, or high tax (same thing) and while the worth of government can be judged by whether they meet the needs of the people, there are the usual problems such as determining what are the needs (from public transport to grain quotas and internet access). The private sector may be correct that lack of competition creates apathy and the government running public services is not ideal (rule by committee being rather slow and politicians without first hand knowledge rather useless), but I don't need or want five different companies trying to sell me a rail ticket; or the advertising or government subsidies used to, in effect, pay shareholders dividends or private sector wages to the owners of competing franchises. I'd go as far as saying state funded capitalism is a dud; it's either protectionism, or a cartel with a ready made monopoly (water; power; rail) and they don't, in the main, seem to value the workers. In Western terms wages have not kept up with increased productivity and profits; paying off student debt requires a high wage and interest on debt obligation may actually be un-payable. So in Soviet times, you didn't get a high wage; or bonuses; but you could be made a hero of the Soviet Union for keeping the trains running on time; but you did not have to worry about the gas or water bill; or rent; or council tax or healthcare or getting a good education.
One type of corruption you do not get in Russia or China is "lobbying"; the oligarchs in Russia left with billions, just don't get into politics they were told; the one that tried the jailed; asset stripped and ejected. Corporations interfering with the running of government is not acceptable; while I believe the Chinese beheaded corrupt individuals; it's a different way of doing things...
The reason I would say that Ukraine is still very corrupt is exemplified by the mess they are in at the moment. One reason there's a shortage of judges is probably because certain armed groups won't be judged and interfering in their business could be bad for one's health. Despite your attempts to beautify Ukrainian corruption let's just say with all the billions flowing in it's not going to get better and despite all the heartwarming stories about the "London blitz" it was prime time for black marketeers; looting and making things disappear.
So another American ratings agency want to call others corrupt; after ratings agencies gave junk bonds AAA+ ratings, destroying the retail banking sector, they're back to tell us they're right (actually quite far-right) and those that won't play their game are wrong.
Of course Ukraine is corrupt; it went bankrupt despite charging high tariffs on Russian gas; leasing a port and being independent; since it gave up neutrality it has become very dependent; will require substantial investment and I don't consider it a good investment. With reference to the proverb "tell me who your friends are... " the American establishment appear just as corrupt as Ukraine to me.
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