The Most/Least Politically Corrupt Countries to Reside

Before moving abroad, it is imperative to verify the current political situation of where you are intending on living. The political situation has the power to affect your safety, salary, and overall quality of life in the locale that you are considering living in. Thus, it is essential to do your homework to make sure that you are choosing the right country to relocate to.

Here is my list of the most and least politically corrupt places to reside in the world:

Three Most Politically Corrupt

1. Venezuela

Venezuela is currently undergoing a brutal political crisis. Unfortunately, many people in the world do not realize this. In short, Venezuela’s economy was greatly burdened by Chavez’s economic policies. The country currently has four currency exchange rates in an effort to prevent capital flight. This has caused a shortage of basic resources when the government’s main export of oil decreased substantially in cost per barrel.

What now exists is a bankrupt country that has a great deal of crime because there is no food on the supermarket shelves or medicines in the hospitals. Thus, today, Venezuela wins this contest, but many hope as I do that Venezuela can and will come back one day.

2. Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea is a fascinating little country in that it is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa. That being said, since Equatorial Guinea’s independence from Spain, the country has suffered two dictatorships. The current dictator is on many international organization’s watch list for human rights violations. Additionally, the press is heavily censored so that the population is not allowed to be educated on the outside world’s affairs.

There have been many attempts at revolution from those citizens who have traveled abroad; however, it appears that Equatorial Guinea has a long way to go until it will be politically stable.

3. North Korea

North Korea has been a target of international criticism for decades due to its closed off nature from the rest of the world. According to many South Koreans I met, they indicated that the people are so brainwashed that many believe their president invented cinema, for example. North Korea has been associated with many human rights abuse allegations, nuclear weapons threats, and not abiding by international agreements.

What peaks the curiosity about North Korea is how closed off it is to the rest of the world and until, Kim Jung Il’s son dies or steps down, it is unlikely that North Korea will have progress any time soon.

Three Least Politically Corrupt

1. United States

Even though Americans complain about their politics at times, the United States does have one of the most remarkable democracies in the world. What makes the United States the country that is is how the country has a political system of “checks and balances.”

What this system does is that it allows the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive branches of government have the power to evaluate each other’s progress. This is what makes the United States one of the least politically corrupt systems in the world that we see today.

2. United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has one of the most remarkable governments in the world. What makes the United Kingdom great is that they kept their monarchy who was historically corrupt and modernized them. The United Kingdom’s system of Constitutional Monarchy is absolutely brilliant in that it combines the aristocracy with the bourgeois pertaining to the perspective of political views.

Additionally, the English Common Law system is where many countries, including the United States, were inspired to draft their constitutions.

3. South Korea

South Korea is a remarkable country in the sense of how far they have come since the Korean War. South Korea has a much more stable economy and political framework than their cousins in the North. South Korea also has democratic elections, which is sensational given that they had a dictator not so long ago.

South Korea is a wonderful place to both live and work that provides a politically stable environment for both expats and citizens to enjoy on a day-to-day basis.