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Are bribe payments in Tanzania “grease” or “grit”?

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Abstract

This article uses empirical evidence from Tanzania to show that bribes there are not “greasing” but instead encumber economic transactions. The evidence suggests that bribe payments promote contacts with service providers, result in lower satisfaction with public service delivery, and result in less efficient public services. Further evidence against bribes as ‘facilitators’ is presented in the form of opinion polls and actions taken to reduce bribe payments.

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Langseth, P., Michael, B. Are bribe payments in Tanzania “grease” or “grit”?. Crime, Law and Social Change 29, 197–208 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008305020091

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008305020091

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