Making anti-corruption real: using a ‘Power Capabilities and Interest Approach’ to stop wasting money and start making progress

HOW CAN YOU USE THIS RESOURCE: This resource is valuable for policymakers, development practitioners, NGOs, and anti-corruption agencies who are looking for a more effective way to combat corruption. It provides practical strategies for identifying and strengthening the actors who can enforce rules and create lasting change, especially in challenging contexts with weak rule of law.

OVERVIEW: This paper argues for a radical shift in anti-corruption efforts by focusing on the “Power-Capabilities-Interests (PCI)” approach, which identifies key actors with the power, interests, and capabilities to fight corruption. It suggests focusing on sectors where corruption can be tackled through existing or strengthened horizontal checks, highlighting strategies to enhance, create, or mitigate corruption in contexts with varying levels of rule enforcement. The paper challenges traditional approaches, emphasizing that anti-corruption must be integrated into broader development policies and systems to be effective.

Publishing Organization: The School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London