By Jenniefer Dkhar
Corruption is part and parcel of our society. Whether at educational institutions, offices, market places, bus stops, etc seldom people are involved either as participants, onlookers or observers. In fact, the practice starts at home. We all have been a party to the crime at our homes when we would bully relatives younger to us like our sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews to run errands for us or coax them into doing the task and bribe them for that. Perhaps at that point it may not have occurred to us that we were indulging in a form of corruption. But we actually passing down the baton to the young. We have actually taught them a give and take approach to life. To get our work done we simply have to pay for it in cash or kind. So the first lesson they learn from home is to bribe their way through life. This is shameful and dangerous as it becomes part of the children’s experiential learning.
Amnesty International defines corruption as “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain.” It is this abuse and misuse of power for personal benefit that triggers distrust and distaste in society. Corruption has been in existence in the world at different levels and in different forms. It could take place as a small favour between people with personal connections and for personal gain or it could take place at the level of governments. The bare truth is that dishonest means and an altered version of what is right and proper has become part and parcel of our society.
Corruption can occur in different forms. Bribery is one of the most common and notable forms of corruption. We offer gifts as bribe for personal benefit and growth. Yet another form of corruption is extortion and blackmail. These two usually amount to intimidation. We often hear of misappropriation of funds and embezzlement by someone who has access to funds. There are cases galore like the most recent one being the 3G or the Coalgate scam. There is yet another form of corruption that people in power and authority indulge in and that is by misusing their official position, power and authority. This may involve decision making where favouritism and nepotism takes precedence over merit.
So why do people practice corruption? What could be the cause behind this venality? Often cited reasons of corruption and corrupt practices are need and greed. Need arises when people who are paid low salaries need to meet their basic requirements of food, shelter, clothing, education etc., Interestingly need turns to greed when people begin to justify corruption and corrupt practices. This could be one reason why corruption is at times linked to poverty. Sometimes lack of access to entitlements also paves way for corruption, whereby people would go to any extent to get their dues, powers and privileges. But corruption occurs largely because of lack of transparency which allows room for manipulation.
The absence of ethics and morality in society and the erosion of conscience in humans is one of the root causes of corruption. A man with conscience can distinguish between right and wrong and choose between the two. A conscientious man will constantly be pricked by actions that may be untoward or unacceptable. The voice within will prevent man from committing crooked deeds. Victor Hugo believes that conscience is God present in man. Conscience will help ward off any evil temptation that may befall man. Every individual soul is born with conscience but many of us prefer to sideline, disregard, shun or even bury it for good.
Corruption is a threat that has and could further belittle humankind and society as a whole. This becomes even more dangerous as it kills the spirit of our youths to succeed. In today’s society what really counts is not merit but relations and associations. It is common knowledge that merit is compromised at the altar of favouritism and nepotism. Bribery, favouritism, nepotism and cronyism push wrong people to the right profession. When qualified people are denied their due we are losing out on their expertise and knowledge. In turn unqualified individuals who are appointed will fail to deliver. This results is unwanted outcomes in every sphere of human activity. In whatever field we choose we would still be dealing with lives of people. So by and large all would be affected one way or the other. Inefficiency at any level and in any field will result in poor outcomes. The question is whether we can afford to sacrifice merit at the altar of favouritism by promoting a family member, friend, a member of an association and many more?
In this dubious milieu there is certainly no hope for the educated poor who have no means to bribe except to claim their due by dint of their qualification. It dampens the spirit of deserving, talented and eligible candidates when the deserving are not given the chance to deliver. At a certain level corruption also widens the gap between the rich and the poor as the corrupt person will accumulate more wealth while the poor will be left poorer both in spirit and in capital/cash. This will result in extreme inequality in society. It will spread disunity, envy, hatred and class divide between the haves and the have-nots. Corruption in society perpetuates materialism and greed. Honest and hardworking people will seldom be respected in such a venal society.
At the political level corruption inhibits the growth of democracy. Corruption and money power during elections distort representation in policymaking. There will be a complete disregard of procedures and rules. Public offices can be bought and sold. For instance a lot of humanitarian aid meant for the poor does not reach the beneficiaries. Financial aid is often diverted from its intended destination.
At the judicial level corruption compromises the rule of law. Corruption leads to poor economic growth and discourages people from working together for the common good. It is crucial to identify ways to eliminate corruption and to establish control mechanisms to prevent people from falling prey to corrupt practices. At the political level, it is the responsibility of the electorate to carefully exercise their right to choose their representative and not be taken in by short-lived inducements by the candidates. Voters should exercise their franchise conscientiously. In return the representatives are to honour the trust and faith of their people and judiciously exercise their responsibilities. In administration, the rule of law should be equitably enforced without any prejudice. It is equally important for the police department to be clean and free from corrupt practices. There should be severe and stringent laws to check corruption. Most importantly the general public must collectively stand against corruption for a better today and a safe and secure tomorrow.
The youth are our future. They should be encouraged to stand tall and be strong to face any stumbling block with courage and fortitude. Sadly, today the youth have a grim picture of their tomorrow. They have lost faith in the system. They often talk of a bleak future even if they fare well academically. They must be educated to empower themselves with mechanisms to check corruption such as right use of the Right to Information (RTI). Collective efforts towards eradication of corruption are important ways forward. To achieve this it is important for us as parents, teachers and elders to set good examples for our children to emulate. We need to lay down principles on which they can walk and live in this world. Mahatma Gandhi says, “there is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience”. It supersedes all other courts.” Can humans who have the power to reason, think and judge keep the doors of their conscience open for this world to be a happier and more optimistic place to live in?