The West’s Support of Global Corruption Is Threatening Democracy, Says Author

Frank Vogl has spent much of his career trying to raise awareness about — and fight against — corruption on a global scale.

In his new book, “The Enablers: How the West Supports Kleptocrats and Corruption — Endangering Our Democracy,” Vogl discusses the global West’s complicity in government theft and injustice abroad. 

“These are governments, top officials, who steal from their people … They use that money to buy support from key officials and sometimes military personnel to increase their power, and at the same time, strengthen their personal wealth.” –Frank Vogl, Georgetown University 

Listen: Frank Vogl on tackling government corruption abroad and at home.

Guest 

Frank Vogl is the author of “The Enablers: How the West Supports Kleptocrats and Corruption — Endangering Our Democracy.” He says he wrote this book to “shine a light on the trillions of dollars that illicitly flow around the world.” When government leaders steal from their people on a massive scale, Vogl says they create massive humanitarian crises. “These are governments, top officials, who steal from their people … They use that money to buy support from key officials and sometimes military personnel to increase their power, and at the same time, strengthen their personal wealth.” 

Though Vogl says America has the power to hold other countries accountable for their corruption, he also notes that our nation is not exempt from the same problems. “The reason why these enablers are able to get away with so much … is because they wield so much influence in our own political system.”

We have to reduce our own corruption if we want to tackle global problems, Vogl says. “We are a part of a global system… I believe we can lead in that global system. But I agree that we need to up our game at home.”