The Inspector General Concept in Historical Context: From 1,500 BCE to Today

Abstract This chapter demonstrates that some form of independent government oversight has existed throughout history. It traces the concept of oversight across multiple cultures and time periods, including Ancient Egypt, Athens, the Roman Republic, and the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as the Middle Ages, the Middle East, and Europe. The review culminates in a discussion of the modern inspector general (IG) in the United States. The reader learns that, along with their formal name, the values that these overseers upheld varied depending on the context. Some overseers who were intended to prevent corruption were sometimes corrupt themselves. Yet, the commonality of desiring an independent overseer of governmental functions is revealed across the centuries. The final section of the chapter explores how, unique to the common era, the IG concept has continued to professionalize in large part due to the creation and expansion of the Association of Inspectors General (AIG). This association continues to play an important role in shaping the principles and standards of independent government oversight to this day.