Reducing corruption takes a specific kind of investment | Efosa Ojomo

翻译人员: psjmz mz 校对人员: Wei Zhang

So in 2011,

在 2011 年，

someone broke into my sister's office

有人闯进了我妹妹

at the university where she teaches in Nigeria.

在尼日利亚一所大学任教的办公室。

Now thankfully, the person was caught, arrested and charged to court.

幸运的是，我们抓获，逮捕 并且向法庭起诉了此人。

When I get into court,

当我进入法庭时，

the clerks who were assigned to my sister's case informed her

被分派处理我妹妹案件的办事员 告诉我妹妹说，

that they wouldn't be able to process the paperwork

如果我妹妹能给点好处，他们才会

unless she paid a bribe.

处理她的文书工作。

Now, at first she thought it was part of a practical joke.

我妹妹最初认为这是种政治玩笑，

But then she realized they were serious.

但后来才意识到他们没有开玩笑。

And then she became furious.

于是我妹妹变得十分愤怒。

I mean, think about it: here she was, the recent victim of a crime,

试想一下，她是作为 此次犯罪的受害者，

with the very people who were supposed to help her,

理应负责帮助我妹妹的每一个人

and they were demanding a bribe from her.

却向我妹妹索要好处。

That's just one of the many ways

这只是腐败影响我国

that corruption impacts millions of people in my country.

数百万人中，众多方式的一种。

You know, growing up in Nigeria,

在我成长的尼日利亚，

corruption permeated virtually every element of the society.

腐败几乎渗透到社会的各个层面。

Reports of politicians embezzling millions of dollars were common.

政客们贪污数百万美元 的报道屡见不鲜。

Police officers stealing money

警察盗窃金钱

or extorting money from everyday hardworking citizens

或向每天辛勤工作 的公民勒索钱财

was routine practice.

早已司空见惯。

I felt that development could never actually happen,

这我觉得，只要持续存在腐败问题，

so long as corruption persisted.

社会就永远得不到发展。

But over the past several years,

但在过去几年中，

in my research on innovation and prosperity,

在我所进行的关于 创新与繁荣的研究中，

I've learned that corruption is actually not the problem hindering our development.

我了解到，腐败其实 并不是阻碍我们发展的问题所在。

In fact,

事实上，

conventional thinking on corruption and its relationship to development

对腐败和发展的关系的传统想法

is not only wrong, but it's holding many poor countries backwards.

不仅是错误的， 而且它拖了很多贫穷国家的后腿。

So, the thinking goes like this:

这种想法大概是这样的：

in a society that's poor and corrupt,

在贫穷且腐败的社会中，

our best shot at reducing corruption is to create good laws,

我们减少腐败的最好方法 是构建良好的法律，

enforce them well,

并有效执行，

and this will make way for development and innovation to flourish.

这将辅助发展与创新走向繁荣。

Now, it makes sense on paper,

在纸上倒是行的通，

which is why many governments and development organizations

这也是为什么很多政府和发展组织

invest billions of dollars annually

在机构改革和反腐败项目上面，

on institutional reform and anti-corruption programs.

每年投资数十亿美元。

But many of these programs fail to reduce corruption,

但很多这些项目没能减少腐败，

because we have the equation backwards.

因为我们本末倒置了。

You see, societies don't develop because they've reduced corruption.

要知道，不是因为腐败减少了 而社会得以发展，

They're able to reduce corruption because they've developed.

而是社会发展了才能减少腐败。

And societies develop through investments in innovation.

社会发展是通过 对创新的投资来实现。

Now, at first, I thought this was impossible.

起初，我认为这不可能。

Why would anyone in their right mind

怎么会有一个正常人

invest in a society where, at least on the surface,

投资一个至少表面看起来

it seems a terrible place to do business?

非常不适合做生意的地方？

You know, a society where politicians are corrupt

怎么会有人投资一个腐败的、

and consumers are poor?

消费贫瘠的社会？

But then, the more I learned about

但在更多的了解了

创新与腐败的关系后，

the relationship between innovation and corruption,

the more I started to see things differently.

我开始以不同眼光看待事情。

撒哈拉以南非洲地区

Here's how this played out in sub-Saharan Africa

在发展电信产业时 就面临这样的情况。

as the region developed its telecommunications industry.

In the late 1990s,

在 1990 年代末，

fewer than five percent of people in sub-Saharan Africa had phones.

不到 5% 的撒哈拉以南非洲 地区的人们拥有手机。

In Nigeria, for example, the country had more than 110 million people

比如尼日利亚有超过 1.1 亿人口，

but fewer than half a million phones in the whole nation.

但整个国家只拥有不到 50 万部手机。

Now, this scarcity fueled widespread corruption in the industry.

手机的稀缺加剧了行业的腐败。

I mean, public officials who worked for the state-owned phone companies

在该州电话公司工作的公务人员

要求想拥有电话的人提供好处。

demanded bribes from people who wanted phones.

And because most people couldn't afford to pay the bribes,

由于很多人付不起贿赂金额，

phones were only available to those who were wealthy.

所以只有富人用得起电话。

Then an entrepreneur named Mo Ibrahim

然后有一名叫莫·伊布拉欣的企业家，

decided that he would set up a telecommunications company

他决定要在这个国家成立

on the continent.

一家电信公司。

Now, when he told his colleagues about his idea, they just laughed at him.

当他告诉同事们他的想法时， 他们只是取笑他。

But Mo Ibrahim was undeterred.

但莫·伊布拉欣并未放弃。

And so in 1998, he set up Celtel.

于是在 1998 年，他创立了Celtel。

The company provided affordable mobile phones and cell service

该公司为数百万非洲人 提供了可负担的移动电话

to millions of Africans,

和电话服务。

in some of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the region --

甚至包括该地区一些 非常贫穷和腐败的国家——

I mean countries such as Congo, Malawi,

比如刚果、马拉维、

Sierra Leone and Uganda.

塞拉利昂和乌干达。

You see, in our research, we call what Mo Ibrahim built

在我们的研究中， 我们将莫·伊布拉欣构建服务

a "market-creating innovation."

的称为“市场创建创新”。

Market-creating innovations transform complicated and expensive products

“市场创建创新”把 复杂昂贵的产品转型成为

简单可负担的产品。

into products that are simple and affordable,

so that many more people in society could access them.

让社会中的每一个人都可以使用。

Now in this case, phones were expensive

在此案例中，Celtle 使电话

before Celtel made them much more affordable.

相较之前的价格更加负担得起。

As other investors -- some of his colleagues, actually --

其它投资者而言， 确切来说，一些他的同事，

认为在非洲成功的 建设一家电信公司

saw that it was possible to create a successful mobile phone company

on the continent,

是有可能的，

they flooded in with billions of dollars of investments.

他们投资了数十亿美元。

And this led to significant growth in the industry.

这一行为给该行业带来了明显增长。

From barely nothing in 2000,

从 2000 年的几乎一无所有，

today, virtually every African country now has

到如今几乎每个非洲国家 现在都拥有一个

a vibrant mobile telecommunications industry.

充满活力的移动通信市场。

The sector now supports close to one billion phone connections,

这个行业目前支持 将近 10 亿个用户终端，

it has created nearly four million jobs

创造了将近 400 万份工作，

and generates billions of dollars in taxes every year.

并且每年增加了数十亿的税收。

These are taxes that governments can now reinvest into the economy

政府现在能使用税收 重新投入到经济中

建设他们的体系。

to build their institutions.

And here's the thing:

重点是：

because most people no longer have to bribe public officials

大部分的人不再为了得到一部电话

just to get a phone,

而贿赂公务人员，

corruption -- at least within this industry -- has reduced.

至少在该行业中， 腐败自然就减少了。

Now, if Mo Ibrahim had waited for corruption to be fixed

如果莫·易卜拉欣 在沙哈拉以南非洲地区

in all of sub-Saharan Africa before he invested,

的腐败问题解决后投资，

he would still be waiting today.

他现在仍旧在等待。

You know, most people who engage in corruption know they shouldn't.

诚然，大多数人知道 自身不应该参与腐败。

I mean, the public officials who were demanding bribes from people

向想得到一部电话的人要求贿赂

to get phones

的公务人员

and the people who were paying the bribes --

以及支付贿赂金额的人

they knew they were breaking the law.

他们清楚自己违反了法律，

But they did it anyways.

但他们还是这样做了。

The question is: Why?

问题是为什么？

The answer?

答案？

Scarcity.

稀缺。

See, whenever people would benefit from gaining access

无论何时，一个人将从稀缺中获利

to something that scarce,

都会使得腐败

this makes corruption attractive.

具有诱惑力。

You know, in poor countries, we complain a lot about corrupt politicians

在贫穷的国家， 我们经常抱怨腐败的政客，

who embezzle state funds.

他们私吞国家公款。

But in many of those countries, economic opportunity is scarce,

但是在这些众多的国家里， 经济机会是稀缺的，

and so corruption becomes an attractive way to gain wealth.

所以腐败成为了具有诱惑力 的获得钱财的方式。

We also complain about civil servants like police officers,

我们也经常抱怨 像警察这样的公务人员

who extort money from everyday hardworking citizens.

从每天辛勤工作的 公民身上敲诈钱财。

But most civil servants are grossly underpaid

但是绝大多数公务人员 的工资越来越少，

and are leading desperate lives.

过着令人绝望的生活。

And so for them, extortion or corruption is a good way to make a living.

所以对他们而言， 敲诈或腐败是他们谋生的好方法。

You know, this phenomenon also plays itself out in wealthy countries as well.

这个现象在富裕国家也普遍存在。

When rich parents bribe university officials --

当富裕的父母贿赂 大学工作人员时——

(Laughter)

（笑声）

When rich parents bribe university officials

当富裕的父母贿赂大学工作人员，

so their children can gain admission into elite colleges,

让他们的孩子可以获得 进入精英大学就读的机会，

the circumstance is different,

情况则不同。

but the principle is the same.

但原理一样。

I mean, admission into elite colleges is scarce,

我的意思是进入精英大学 就读的机会稀缺，

and so bribery becomes attractive.

所以贿赂变得具有诱惑力。

The thing is,

关键在于，

I'm not trying to say there shouldn't be things that are scarce in society

我并不是说，在社会中 不应该存在稀缺的或是

or things that are selective.

具有选择性的事物，

What I'm just trying to explain

我只是想解释

is this relationship between corruption and scarcity.

腐败与稀缺之间的关系。

And in most poor countries, way too many basic things are scarce.

在绝大多数贫穷的国家里， 很多基本物品都是稀缺的。

I mean things like food,

我指的是像食物、

education,

教育、

health care,

医疗、

economic opportunity,

经济机会

jobs.

和工作等。

This creates the perfect breeding ground for corruption to thrive.

这是孕育腐败的温床， 会任其肆意滋长。

Now, in no way does this excuse corrupt behavior.

这绝不是腐败行为的借口，

It just helps us understand it a bit better.

只是能帮助我们更好的了解腐败。

Investing in businesses that make things affordable

投资那些让更多人能够负担得起

and accessible to so many more people

并且可以获取的业务，

attacks this scarcity

能够对抗稀缺问题，

and creates the revenues for governments to reinvest in their economies.

并给政府制定一个 经济再投资解决方案。

Now, when this happens on a countrywide level,

在全国水平上发生这些事情时，

it can revolutionize nations.

可以给这个国家带来改革。

Consider the impact in South Korea.

思考一下这对于韩国的影响。

Now, in the 1950s,

在 1950 年，

South Korea was a desperately poor country,

韩国是个非常贫穷并且

and it was very corrupt.

腐败的国家。

The country was ruled by an authoritarian government

这个国家由一个独裁的政府控制，

and engaged in bribery and embezzlement.

并且政府参与了贪污和挪用。

In fact, economists at the time said South Korea was trapped in poverty,

事实上，那时的经济学家说 韩国陷入了贫困，

and they referred to it as "an economic basket case."

他们把它称为“经济上的烂摊子”。

When you looked at South Korea's institutions,

看看韩国的体系，

even as late as the 1980s,

甚至到了 1980 年末，

they were on par with some of the poorest and most corrupt African countries

还与那时候的一些最贫穷 和最腐败的非洲国家

at the time.

处于同等水平。

But as companies like Samsung, Kia, Hyundai

然而像三星、起亚和现代这些公司

invested in innovations that made things much more affordable

的投资创新使大多数的人 能够负担的起

for so many more people,

这些物品。

South Korea ultimately became prosperous.

韩国社会最终繁荣了起来。

As the country grew prosperous,

随着国家日渐繁荣，

it was able to transition from an authoritarian government

它能够实现从独裁政府

to a democratic government

向民主政府的转变。

并且能够再投资去建设其体系。

and has been able to reinvest in building its institutions.

And this has paid off tremendously.

这一变化已经取得了惊人的成功。

For instance, in 2018,

例如，在 2018 年，

South Korea's president was sentenced to 25 years in prison

韩国总统因为腐败相关指控

on corruption-related charges.

被判处 25 年监禁。

This could never have happened decades ago when the country was poor

在几十年前，作为由独裁政府 所控制的贫困国家，

and ruled by an authoritarian government.

这是绝不会发生的。

In fact, as we looked at most prosperous countries today, what we found was,

实际上，对于现在大多数 的繁荣国家而言，

they were able to reduce corruption as they became prosperous --

我们发现，在发展繁荣的过程中， 这些国家也能够

not before.

减少腐败。

And so where does that leave us?

那么我们该如何处理呢？

I know it may sound like I'm saying we should just ignore corruption.

我知道，这听起来像是在说， 我们应该忽视腐败。

That's not what I'm saying at all.

我可没这个意思。

What I'm suggesting, though,

相反，我想表达的是，

is that corruption, especially for most people in poor countries,

腐败，尤其是对贫穷国家 的大多数人来说，

is a work-around.

是一种权宜之计，

It's a utility

一种在没有

in a place where there are fewer better options to solve a problem.

更优解决方案情况下的实用工具。

Investing in innovations that make products much more affordable

在产品上投资创新，让更多的人

for many people

负担得起，

not only attacks this scarcity

不仅能够对抗稀缺问题，

but it creates a sustainable source of revenue

还能为政府创造持续的税收来源，

for governments to reinvest into the economies

用于重新投入经济运营，

to strengthen their institutions.

从而加强体系建设。

This is the critical missing piece in the economic development puzzle

在经济发展拼图中至关重要 并遗失的这一块拼图，

that will ultimately help us reduce corruption.

将最终帮助我们减少腐败。

对尼日利亚失去希望时，我 16 岁。

You know, I lost hope in Nigeria when I was 16.

And in some ways, the country has actually gotten worse.

在某种程度上， 这个国家正变得越来越糟。

除了普遍的贫穷和地方腐败，

In addition to widespread poverty and endemic corruption,

Nigeria now actually deals with terrorist organizations

尼日利亚实际上正在 跟博科圣地这样

like Boko Haram.

的恐怖组织做交易。

But somehow, I am more hopeful about Nigeria today

然而，我对尼日利亚从未

than I have ever been before.

像现在这样充满希望。

When I see organizations investing in innovations

当我看到组织机构投资创新，

that are creating jobs for people

为人们创造工作机会，

and making things affordable --

并且努力降低商品价格时——

I mean organizations like Lifestores Pharmacy,

我指的是像 Lifestores Pharmacy 这样

making drugs and pharmaceuticals more affordable for people;

生产廉价药品的公司，

or Metro Africa Xpress,

或者 Metro Africa Xpress，

tackling the scarcity of distribution and logistics for many small businesses;

解决了许多小企业 配送和物流不足的问题；

or Andela, creating economic opportunity for software developers --

或者 Andela， 他们为 软件开发者创造了经济机会。

I am optimistic about the future.

我对未来非常乐观。

I hope you will be, too.

我希望你们也一样。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）