Thieves of State
Why Corruption Threatens Global Security
Sarah Chayes
"Thieves of State" by Sarah Chayes delves into the connection between corrupt governments and international security crises. With insights from the Afghanistan war and historical research, Chayes identifies corruption as a pervasive threat that drives populations to extremes, causing radicalization and militant puritanical religion. She makes a compelling case that corruption should be confronted as it is a cause of global instability, rather than a result. This thrilling argument connects the Protestant Reformation to the Arab Spring and presents a powerful new way to understand global extremism.
Publish Date
2016-03-07T00:00:00.000Z
2016-03-07T00:00:00.000Z
first published in 2015
Goodreads Rating
4.11
ISBN
9780393352283
Recommendations
1
Recommendations
2016-06-05T00:00:00.000Z
Chayes' thesis here is both radical and incredibly obvious: Corruption is the common denominator among societies where radical Islam is ascendant. ISIS, the Taliban, Somalia's al-Shabab, and Nigeria's Boko Haram all gained footholds, we're told, because they promised to eradicate the corruption of despotic regimes. If this is so, corruption should be our target, too. – source