DoomYoshi wrote:Corruption isn't one to look at. Corruption is a societal force, not an economic one. I know in the former USSR, something like 60% of people see no moral qualms about bribes, just accepting it as a daily part of life. In India and China, it is probably a higher stat. In the US and Canada, it is pretty rare, except for things that don't matter (bribing the bartender at a busy bar to make sure you don't have to ever wait).
In the US and Canada you have to tip more than the actual service charge for pretty much every service in existence (in some cases every time, in some cases just for holidays). You tip bartenders, delivery guys, taxi drivers, waiters, bus boys, mailmen, gardeners, cleaners, baristas, valets etc., in plenty of cases seemingly with the implicit threat that you will be treated less favorably should you decline to tip. Personally, I find that just as irritating as having to pay a teacher in order to make sure your child doesn't get treated worse than the other kids.