Democratisation and corruption in Mongolia

More democratic and open systems of government are generally assumed to contain corruption. Subsequent to the end of the communist system in 1990, Mongolia has established a democratic regime, and has been assessed as being relatively well governed. However, more recently, corruption has been worsening, despite the continuation of a democratic regime. This article inquires into the drivers of corruption and into the reasons for why accountability has not been more effective despite a democratic form of government. The availability of three major forms of rents-foreign aid, privatisation and natural resource extraction-is discussed as important drivers. The recent mining boom appears to have reinforced weaknesses in Mongolia's system of accountability. Underlying weaknesses include certain communist legacies, especially of intransparent government and of a 'dependent' judicial system, and substantially increased inequality as a result of transition. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.