Small change
An increasingly popular weapon in the fight against corruption: fake money
WORTHLESS currency is not necessarily useless. It can be a pointed way of shaming someone who asks for a bribe. That is the thinking behind zero-rupee notes, an Indian anti-corruption gimmick now attracting worldwide interest. They look roughly like 50-rupee ($0.80) notes; people are encouraged to hand them to corrupt officials, signalling resistance to sleaze.
This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “Small change”
International
December 7th 2013
From the December 7th 2013 edition
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