Reducing corruption takes a specific kind of investment | Efosa Ojomo

譯者: Clement Fu 審譯者: Lo Hsien Huang

So in 2011,

2011 年，

someone broke into my sister's office

有人闖入我姐姐在奈及利亞 任教大學的辦公室。

at the university where she teaches in Nigeria.

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

幸虧這個人已經被逮捕起訴。

When I get into court,

當我走進法庭時，

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

負責我姐姐案件的書記員卻告訴她，

that they wouldn't be able to process the paperwork

他們無法處理這些書面工作，

unless she paid a bribe.

除非賄賂他們，事情才好辦。

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

起初她以為他們在開玩笑，

But then she realized they were serious.

卻發現他們是講真的，

And then she became furious.

接著她就勃然大怒。

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

試想一下，她是這件案子的受害者，

with the very people who were supposed to help her,

那些本該施予援手的人

and they were demanding a bribe from her.

卻向她索賄。

That's just one of the many ways

貪腐使得我國數百萬人民受害，

that corruption impacts millions of people in my country.

而這只是眾多貪腐手法的其中一種。

You know, growing up in Nigeria,

我在奈及利亞長大，

corruption permeated virtually every element of the society.

貪汙舞弊基本上滲透社會中每一環。

Reports of politicians embezzling millions of dollars were common.

政客盜用數百萬公款的報導很常見。

Police officers stealing money

每天辛勤工作的公民

or extorting money from everyday hardworking citizens

被警察偷錢、勒索

was routine practice.

早已司空見慣。

I felt that development could never actually happen,

貪汙舞弊一日未止，

so long as corruption persisted.

發展就無法實現。

But over the past several years,

然而過去多年，

in my research on innovation and prosperity,

我在創新與繁榮的研究中，

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

發現腐敗其實不是發展的阻礙。

In fact,

其實，

conventional thinking on corruption and its relationship to development

針對腐敗以及其與 發展之關係的傳統思維，

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

不單是錯誤的，更讓 許多窮困國家倒退。

So, the thinking goes like this:

傳統思維是這樣的：

in a society that's poor and corrupt,

在貧窮又腐敗的社會，

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

打擊貪腐最佳方法就是立好法律，

enforce them well,

並且貫徹執行，

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

這會帶來發展和創新，然後繁榮。

Now, it makes sense on paper,

聽起來言之成理，

which is why many governments and development organizations

因此諸多政府及發展機構

invest billions of dollars annually

每年投入數十億美元，

on institutional reform and anti-corruption programs.

在體制改革和反貪計劃上。

But many of these programs fail to reduce corruption,

然而這些計劃大多肅貪成效不彰，

because we have the equation backwards.

因為這道法則的因果倒轉了。

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

其實，社會不是肅貪了才發展起來，

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

而是發展起來了，就能減少腐敗。

And societies develop through investments in innovation.

社會的發展需透過投資創新。

Now, at first, I thought this was impossible.

起初，我想這是不可能的。

Why would anyone in their right mind

怎麼會有一個正常人

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

投資一個看起來

it seems a terrible place to do business?

非常不適合做生意的地方呢？

You know, a society where politicians are corrupt

怎麼會投資一個政客腐敗，

and consumers are poor?

消費者又貧窮的社會？

But then, the more I learned about

但隨著我了解更多

the relationship between innovation and corruption,

創新與腐敗之間的關係，

the more I started to see things differently.

我的看法開始日漸改觀。

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

撒哈拉以南的非洲地區

as the region developed its telecommunications industry.

在發展電訊業時，發生這樣的事情。

In the late 1990s,

90 年代末，撒哈拉以南的非洲

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

不到 5% 人口擁有手機。

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

以奈及利亞為例，人口逾一億一千萬，

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

全國的手機數量卻不到五十萬。

Now, this scarcity fueled widespread corruption in the industry.

手機的匱乏竟助長這個產業的腐敗。

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

在國有電話公司上班的公務員，

demanded bribes from people who wanted phones.

向那些想擁有手機的人索賄。

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

由於大多數人都付不起賄款，

phones were only available to those who were wealthy.

所以僅富裕的人能擁有手機。

Then an entrepreneur named Mo Ibrahim

一位名叫莫·伊布拉欣的企業家，

decided that he would set up a telecommunications company

後來決定在非洲大陸

成立一家電訊公司。

on the continent.

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

當他跟同事說起這構思， 大家都取笑他。

But Mo Ibrahim was undeterred.

但是莫·伊布拉欣並沒有放棄。

And so in 1998, he set up Celtel.

1998 年，他成立了電信公司 Celtel。

The company provided affordable mobile phones and cell service

這家公司為數百萬的非洲人

提供價格實惠的手機和電話服務。

to millions of Africans,

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

甚至涵蓋一些最窮困腐敗的國家——

I mean countries such as Congo, Malawi,

諸如剛果、馬拉威、

Sierra Leone and Uganda.

獅子山和烏干達。

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

我們的研究稱莫·伊布拉欣創造

a "market-creating innovation."

一個「創造市場的創新」。 (market-creating innovation)

Market-creating innovations transform complicated and expensive products

創造市場的創新將複雜昂貴的產品

into products that are simple and affordable,

轉化成簡單實惠的產品，

so that many more people in society could access them.

讓社會中更多的人都能觸手可及。

Now in this case, phones were expensive

在此例子，手機價格曾是高不可攀，

before Celtel made them much more affordable.

Celtel 出現後，手機價格變得實惠。

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

而其他投資者，當中不乏他的同事——

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

他們見到在這片非洲大陸上，

建立一家成功的電信公司是做得到的，

on the continent,

they flooded in with billions of dollars of investments.

他們便投資數十億美元。

And this led to significant growth in the industry.

這個行業因此迅速發展。

From barely nothing in 2000,

千禧年時，從一無所有的狀態，

today, virtually every African country now has

到今天，幾乎每個非洲國家

a vibrant mobile telecommunications industry.

都有個蓬勃的電訊業。

The sector now supports close to one billion phone connections,

這產業目前有近十億手機用戶，

it has created nearly four million jobs

創造近四百萬個職位，

and generates billions of dollars in taxes every year.

而且每年納稅數十億元。

These are taxes that governments can now reinvest into the economy

政府就可將稅收重新投入到經濟中，

to build their institutions.

建立它們的體制。

And here's the thing:

重點是：

because most people no longer have to bribe public officials

大部分人不用再為了一支手機

just to get a phone,

賄賂公務員。

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

貪汙舞弊起碼在此行業減少了。

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

如果莫·伊布拉欣等到 撒哈拉以南的非洲

in all of sub-Saharan Africa before he invested,

都肅貪了才投資，

he would still be waiting today.

也許等到今天仍遙遙無期。

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

多數涉及賄賂行為的人 都知道不應這麼做，

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

我是指向那些想要手機的人 索賄的公務員，

to get phones

或是支付賄款的人，

and the people who were paying the bribes --

they knew they were breaking the law.

他們都知道這是違法，

But they did it anyways.

卻明知故犯。

The question is: Why?

問題就是：為什麼？

The answer?

而答案就是：

Scarcity.

匱乏。

See, whenever people would benefit from gaining access

當有人能從一件稀罕之物獲利，

to something that scarce,

this makes corruption attractive.

腐敗便伺機而生。

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

在貧窮國家，腐敗政客盜用公款，

who embezzle state funds.

往往為人詬病。

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

然而在這些國家，經濟很貧乏，

and so corruption becomes an attractive way to gain wealth.

因此藉貪腐斂財變得很誘人。

We also complain about civil servants like police officers,

我們也抨擊公務員，如警察，

who extort money from everyday hardworking citizens.

敲詐終日勞碌工作的公民。

But most civil servants are grossly underpaid

然而公務員大多俸祿微薄，

and are leading desperate lives.

生活也捉襟見肘。

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

因此敲詐貪汙變成他們謀生的好方法。

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

而且在富裕國家也是如出一轍。

When rich parents bribe university officials --

有錢的父母去賄賂大學高層職員——

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

When rich parents bribe university officials

有錢的父母去賄賂大學高層職員，

so their children can gain admission into elite colleges,

讓子女能就讀精英學校。

the circumstance is different,

情況不盡相同，

but the principle is the same.

但道理是一樣的。

I mean, admission into elite colleges is scarce,

精英學校一位難求，

and so bribery becomes attractive.

賄賂也因此變得誘人。

The thing is,

重點是，

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

我不是說社會上應該無所匱乏，

or things that are selective.

或是必須具有選擇性的事物。

What I'm just trying to explain

我只想說明

is this relationship between corruption and scarcity.

腐敗與匱乏的關係。

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

在絕大多數的貧窮國家中， 許多基本物資是很匱乏的。

I mean things like food,

諸如糧食、

education,

教育、

health care,

醫療、

economic opportunity,

經濟機會、

jobs.

就業。

This creates the perfect breeding ground for corruption to thrive.

匱乏造就了腐敗滋生的溫床。

Now, in no way does this excuse corrupt behavior.

但是這絕不是貪汙舞弊藉口。

It just helps us understand it a bit better.

我們只是藉此把問題看得透澈一點。

Investing in businesses that make things affordable

若投資在一些好公司， 能讓許多人

都能觸手可及、負擔得起某些事物，

and accessible to so many more people

attacks this scarcity

就能對抗匱乏的問題，

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

並且創造政府盈餘，重新投資經濟。

Now, when this happens on a countrywide level,

當全國遍地開花時，

it can revolutionize nations.

就能改革整個國家。

Consider the impact in South Korea.

思考一下這對南韓的影響。

Now, in the 1950s,

回到 50 年代，

South Korea was a desperately poor country,

南韓是一貧如洗的國家，

and it was very corrupt.

腐敗不堪。

The country was ruled by an authoritarian government

國家由威權政府統治，

and engaged in bribery and embezzlement.

政府貪汙舞弊、侵吞公款不絕。

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

經濟學家認為當時南韓深陷貧困，

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

將之形容為「經濟一團糟的國家」。

When you looked at South Korea's institutions,

當你看到南韓的體制，

even as late as the 1980s,

即使到了 80 年代末，

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

相較當時最貧窮腐敗的非洲國家

可說是半斤八兩。

at the time.

But as companies like Samsung, Kia, Hyundai

但隨著三星、起亞、現代等公司

invested in innovations that made things much more affordable

投資創新，

讓民眾都負擔得起產品，

for so many more people,

South Korea ultimately became prosperous.

南韓最終變得繁榮。

As the country grew prosperous,

隨著國家變得繁榮，

it was able to transition from an authoritarian government

威權政府得以轉型

to a democratic government

變成民主政府，

and has been able to reinvest in building its institutions.

並能重新投資到建設體制。

And this has paid off tremendously.

這樣的回報相當的巨大。

For instance, in 2018,

譬如在 2018 年，

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

南韓總統因貪腐相關控訴

on corruption-related charges.

被判刑 25 年。

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

數十年前國家還很窮困時，

威權政府統治下， 這事毫無可能會發生。

and ruled by an authoritarian government.

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

事實上，回首現今許多繁榮國家

我們發現國家先繁榮才能成功肅貪。

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

not before.

而非先肅貪才有繁榮。

And so where does that leave us?

所以這能夠給我們什麼啟示？

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

也許像是說我們應該忽略貪腐。

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

我絕非此意。

What I'm suggesting, though,

然而，我想說的是，

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

尤其對貧窮國家大部分人而言，

貪汙是種權宜之計。

is a work-around.

It's a utility

當那裡沒幾個更好的解決辦法時，

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

貪汙是一種有效的賺錢方式。

Investing in innovations that make products much more affordable

但若投資於創新，

讓眾多人都能負擔得起產品，

for many people

not only attacks this scarcity

不僅能對抗這種匱乏問題，

but it creates a sustainable source of revenue

同時也創造可持續的收入來源，

for governments to reinvest into the economies

讓政府重新投資到經濟裡，

to strengthen their institutions.

以增強它們的體制。

This is the critical missing piece in the economic development puzzle

這就是經濟發展拼圖裡關鍵的缺角，

that will ultimately help us reduce corruption.

最終能有助我們減少貪腐。

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

我 16 歲的時候， 對奈及利亞很灰心。

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

某種程度上，這個國家愈來愈糟。

In addition to widespread poverty and endemic corruption,

普遍貧窮、貪腐肆虐之餘，

Nigeria now actually deals with terrorist organizations

奈及利亞還跟恐怖組織打交道。

like Boko Haram.

例如博科聖地。

But somehow, I am more hopeful about Nigeria today

話雖如此，我對今天的奈及利亞

than I have ever been before.

卻前所未有地心懷希望。

When I see organizations investing in innovations

當我見到機構組織投資創新，

that are creating jobs for people

為人民創造就業，

and making things affordable --

事物更能讓人負擔的起——

I mean organizations like Lifestores Pharmacy,

諸如 Lifestores Pharmacy，

making drugs and pharmaceuticals more affordable for people;

讓更多人負擔得起藥品。

or Metro Africa Xpress,

或是 Metro Africa Xpress，

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

解決許多小商戶 銷售和物流上的問題。

or Andela, creating economic opportunity for software developers --

又或 Andela 為軟體開發者 創造經濟機會。

I am optimistic about the future.

我懷著憧憬展望未來，

I hope you will be, too.

希望你們也會一樣。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）