Gender Equality, Impartiality, and Meritocracy
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Abstract
A substantial number of studies show that increased gender equality is one important factor behind getting corruption under control. Men are hugely overrepresented in serious criminality and since most corruption is illegal, we should expect the same gender bias in this area. Also, impartiality in the exercise of public power has a powerful effect on lowering corruption and meritocracy and gender equality will increase competence in the public administration. This implies that there is a causal link between impartiality, gender equality, and control of corruption. Going from these results to policy recommendations is fraught with many difficulties. One is how to handle problems of legitimacy in the implementation process for various forms of preferential treatment of discriminated groups. Meritocracy may be far from an ideal solution for lowering corruption and thereby promoting human wellbeing, but it may be the least bad of existing alternatives.