Toward a Cultural Understanding of Corruption: Social Construction of Corruption in Liberia

The international development community and anti-corruption organizations continue to grapple with finding lasting solutions to corruption in developing countries. There is a widely held view in international development scholarship and policy circle that rule-based anti-corruption policies are the solution. These policies are centered on enforcing laws and rules to enhance "good governance" defined by accountability and transparency in the conduct of public institutions. In addition, the literature on corruption has rarely approached corruption from a cultural perspective. Instead, the literature has overemphasized formal institutions and governance. However, we have limited insights into how local cultural practices enable or constrain corruption. To address this gap, this paper employs ethnographic research in Liberia. Methodologically, it relies on close observation of Liberians over several years in their own social and cultural settings and face-to-face contact with various members of the local groups, namely Americo-Liberians and native Liberians. Participant observation was triangulated with interviews with 20 Liberian professionals, public officials, and community leaders who have dealt, directly or indirectly, with corruption in Liberia. Archival data and relevant documentation related to Liberian culture and anti-corruption programs were also gathered and analyzed to assist with the triangulation of data. The data analysis reveals discrepancies between rule-based anti-corruption programs and cultural practices in Liberia. The findings show that these externally designed interventions were intrusive and did not align with Liberia's closed relationship-based cultural practices. Highlighting the impact that social capital, social trust, social enforcement, and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness could play in reducing corruption in Liberia, the research proposes a new culturally competent conceptual framework of corruption. The proposed program would combine rule-based values with Liberian relationship-based values exemplified with existing traditional practices such as Kuu and Susu that have long afforded Liberians the opportunity to work together to achieve common goals and objectives. The author recommends both international organizations and the donor community to leverage existing local strengths and traditional capacities in the fight against corruption. Theoretically, the literature should also broaden the discussion on corruption by engaging cultural and context-specific variables.