Discovering the Roots of Terror: Understanding the Relationship Between Terrorism and Corruption Through Regression Analysis and Case Studies

The causes of terrorism have been widely debated at both macro and micro levels. Extreme ideologies, poverty, and corruption are several factors discussed in relation to terrorism. Previous research has identified a link between terrorism and corruption, noting corruption as a contributor to terrorism. This research examines the connection between terrorism and corruption while including democracy and human development as additional variables. Utilizing data from 2018 to 2022, the regression analysis of this study encompasses 158 countries to determine the relationship between terrorism, corruption, democracy, and human development. Data is sourced from the Vision of Humanity’s Global Terrorism Index (GTI), Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Freedom House’s Global Freedom Scores, and the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). This research concludes that corruption, democracy, and human development do not significantly account for the variance observed in terrorism, leaving much of it unexplained. These findings indicate that other factors must influence terrorism. In further research, four case studies (Somalia, Israel, Liberia, and Georgia) are selected to evaluate the anti-corruption practices of these countries.