World's Going to Hell—Or at Least Getting Really Corrupt

Bad news for the world: It's a more corrupt place now than it was three years ago. According to a poll by Transparency International, 56% of people think their country has become more corrupt, the BBC reports. And we're talking about corruption, too: A BBC poll found that the topic was more discussed than climate change, poverty, unemployment, and higher food and energy costs.

The Transparency International poll ranks Afghanistan, Nigeria, Iraq, and India as the most corrupt nations. Specifically, political parties got the worst ratings, with 80% of people calling them corrupt. Even religious bodies didn't get off scot-free: 53% called them corrupt, up from 28% in 2004. And apparently engaging in corruption is fairly common: One in four admitted to paying a bribe in the past year, with 29% of those bribes going to police. In the poll, corruption was ranked as the second most serious problem, behind poverty.
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