(Global) Rule of Law = expectations of expectations

WAAS, E-Seminar, May 15, 2012

Global Rule of Law - enabling factors and hindrances

Professor in Sociology of Law, since 1988

Holder of the Samuel PufendorfProfessorship, since 2008

Fellow of the Word Academy of Arts and Sciences, since 2009

Member of the Governing Board of Research Committé of Sociology of Law, since 2010 and International Institutefor Sociology of Law, Onati, Spain

Håkan Hydén, Lund University Sweden

(Global) Rule of Law = expectations of expectations.

We believe that what is said also will take place, to put it in a popular way

Supra state level Convention       International State level Law National 

Sub-state level Norms Intermediary  Societal level Individuals Local level   

Supra state level Convention         A            A             A       State level Law   B Sub-state level Norms C Societal level Individual   

A B A C A D

Relations Society and Law, 2.0

Law   Norms   Society

Will Knowledge

Possibilities

Value

System conditions

Cognition

Norm

Hydén-Wickeberg 2000

Knowledge

• Socio-cultural

• Political-administrative

• Economical

automatic influence

SOCIETY

PHYSICAL

Possibilities

Motive - V

alue - Driv

ing force

s

System conditions

CognitionGender

Education

Conscience M

orals E

thics

Religion, P

olitics,

Economy, e

tc

Experiences, Competence, Tradition

Ethnicity

non-automatic influence

BIOTIC

NATURE

Norm

Will

Power, Interests

, etc

•Technical

Personal qualities: age, etc

Corruption is very common, and will do more damage than previously thought. 

This is what a group of researchers at the University of Gothenburg, who have for eight years studied corruption in 178 countries, claim in a study which is presented today.

About 70 percent of the world's population lives in communities with corruption, and it has also been historically. 

It leads to poverty and poor health, partly due to lack of clean water and medical care. This is a fundamental threat to Global Rule of Law.

The researchers do not point to any universal method against corruption, but point out that countries with low corruption are similar to one other, 

characterized by a highly educated population and a proper recruitment for public services. 

High taxes also provide a low tolerance for corruption. 

Then social norms have a chance to grow and support the legal regulation, because people feel it´s about their own money. 

Nordic countries are among the least corrupt, while Nigeria, Somalia and Bangladesh are at the bottom of the scale. In Europe, Greece, Romania and Italy are in trouble.

People in countries with high level of corruption have not another moral opinion about corruption compared to others. 

The system governs and gives you no alternative.

“It´s hard to be the only honest cop in a Mexican police force,” the researchers use as one of many examples.

From the individuals´ point of view, it´s too costly to break the pattern as long as they believe that all others will continue with corruption. 

A variation of the famous Prisoner´s dilemma.

Paradoxically, it is in the most corrupt countries we find the strongest anti-corruption legislation.

Anti-corruption legislation may even be counterproductive.