Argentina's Anti-Corruption Net
Misc.
1/11/2001; 10:20:20 AM

'In a move to reduce corruption by functionaries in faraway places, Argentina mandated its provincial governments to publish all official transactions on the Internet.

'Under the new law, Argentina's 23 provinces must report their budget, contract and payroll information on the Net every month for public review....'

'But let's say that a Net-savvy Juan Citizen does find something fishy on a government website? Would he dare do something about it?

'Exposing graft has been a dangerous job in Argentina. According to Amnesty International, Argentina's judiciary routinely hands down verdicts for slander and libel against journalists who criticize government actions. According to an Amnesty report on press freedoms, "attacks and harassment have become occupational hazards for journalists in Argentina."'

Another "Internet-as-magic-cure" approach that will probably fail miserably. The real problem is the tolerance for corruption and graft. Telling 'the people' about it only matters if the people care, and consider it something other then normal, which so many people do. If everybody in a country is simply resigned that "that's the way it works", then it will continue, pretty much no matter what the government does... or claims to do.