Managing Conflict of Interest - Organisation for Economic Co ...

Defining Conflict of Interest 17Consequently, this is not an easy cycle for resource-rich democraciesto break. 4In poor democratic societies, the low level of revenue resourceswill also tend to encourage political corruption. If funds are notavailable to provide for even the most essential public services, conflictsover resources are likely to be intense. Factional groups mayorganize themselves along ethnic, religious, or class lines in competingfor these scarce resources—and for jobs and contracts. Sinceresources are not sufficient to provide public services to everyonewho is legally entitled to them, these factional groups may bribepoliticians to ensure preference in the provision of services and jobsand contracts. In return, the factional groups will “deliver the vote,”so that the politician is elected. Until revenue resources and statecapacities are improved, or unless large, inclusive political partiesexist or can be developed, this co-dependency is likely to persist. 5When political leaders, whether elected or not, do abuse theirposition of power for their own personal gains, it is impossible forthem to provide leadership on conflict of interest and corruptionissues; and it is all too likely that officials in the various ministries andagencies, even where there has been a tradition of transparencyand good conduct, will take their cue from the example that thepoliticians have set and imitate their behavior.The mechanisms mentioned above for controlling conflicts ofinterest are likely to be more effective if:• the society’s informal norms, codes of conduct, and conventionsare supportive of the formal rules;• there is a tradition of altruism in public life and desire orinclination to serve the public interest;• informal links between the private sector and politicians andofficials are relatively limited ;• the prevailing ethical system supports individual honestyand integrity;4See Collier, Paul, and Anke Hoeffler.2006. Testing the Neocon Agenda: Democracyin Resource-Rich Societies, Mimeo (available on Hoeffler’s Web site).5This argument is developed in Khan, Mushtaq. 2006. Corruption and Governancein South Asia. In South Asia 2006. Europa Publications. It helps to explainwhy, other things being equal, there tends to be more corruption in poor countriesthan in richer countries, and why corruption reduces as countries develop.ADB/OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific