How the U.S. Is Losing Ground on the Global Corruption Index

Something doesn’t feel right about where this country is heading—and it turns out, the world sees it too.

​Each year, Transparency International publishes the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), ranking 180 countries by how clean or corrupt their public sectors are perceived to be. The U.S. once led that list. In 2024, we hit our lowest rating in over a decade.

🇺🇸 Our CPI Score Is Falling
The CPI uses a 0–100 scale: 100 = very clean, 0 = highly corrupt. In 2015, the U.S. scored 76. As of 2024, we’re down to 65.

That 11-point drop has real meaning. It reflects growing global concern about:

• Judicial ethics and lack of accountability for Supreme Court justices
• Corporate influence over government decisions
• Weakening enforcement of anti-corruption laws

🌍 Where We Stand Globally
We used to outperform Canada and most of Europe. Not anymore.

Source: Transparency International CPI 2024

In 2024:

• Denmark: 90 - Gold Standard - Excellent democracy and transparency.
• Canada: 75 - Pretty Good - Similar Political Structures to US. More transparency and governance.
• United States: 65 Shitty Good - Higher than global average, but declining. Bribery is cool again.
• Russia: 26 Not that great - Veered towards autocracy. There is little transparency and trust in public institutions.

We’re still far from the bottom—but we’re slipping, while others are holding steady.

⚠️ Why It Matters
Corruption isn’t just about bribery. It’s about fairness. When courts can’t be trusted, when corporations write the rules, and when watchdogs go quiet, democracy weakens.

Trust in government is foundational. Lose that, and you start to lose the legitimacy that keeps a society functioning.

📖 Want the Full Breakdown?

If you want to dive deeper into the numbers, comparisons, and consequences, I’ve written a detailed long-form piece over on Substack.

👉 Read my Full CPI Analysis on Substack

🧾 Sources:
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• Transparency International CPI 2024
• Axios: U.S. Hits Record Low
• Washington Post​