The Kenya head of Transparency International, a respected anti-corruption group, has been fired on the basis of allegations of …. corruption. That follows on the resignation (and departure for the United Kingdom, for understandable reasons) of John Githongo, who had prepared a scathing report on corruption in his capacity as Permanent Secretary for Governance and Ethics in the Office of the President of Kenya. Githongo made a powerful presentation at the Cato Institute shortly after his resignation.

We’ve learned from experience that one way to reduce corruption is to reduce the power of politicians and bureaucrats to create “artificial shortages of freedom” through their powers to approve or withhold permits, permissions, certifications, etc., etc. Limiting the powers of politicians and bureaucrats is not the only measure that will reduce corruption, but it is certainly a central element of a solution to the problem of corruption, theft, and shakedowns.