CORRUPTION
What is Corruption?
Corruption is an ethical dereliction to misuse public property or money for self-
interest. It is betraying the people, and the root of this is the misuse of even the
nominal power assigned to them.
Corruption destroys the foundations of human prosperity and the very purpose of
governance, making it toxic to growth in both developed and developing countries
alike. When the political establishment and the justice system have been captured
by corrupt elites, a country is unable to rid itself of corruption.
Corruption undermines development and prosperity for civilians worldwide.
Economic growth, investment, and public trust diminish when institutions succumb
to corruption. Such circumstances can culminate in the exacerbation of income
inequality and political instability, infecting every aspect of society. Diverting public
funds limits government revenue, hindering investment in sustainable sectors such
as education, infrastructure, and health.
By now, acts of corruption such as bribery have been criminalized in virtually every
country in the planet, although enforcement of the laws condemning it may be
weak. As we have seen, corruption itself may have weakened the state and its
capacity to punish violations of the law, but there is little ambiguity that bribery is
regarded everywhere as a perversion.
“The evil of corruption reaches into every corner of the world. It lies at the heart of
the most urgent problems we face — from economic uncertainty, to endemic
poverty, to the ever-present threat of radicalization and extremism”
“Corruption is paid by the poor”
Effects of Corruption
Economic Inequality
Through benefitting higher income brackets in the interests of the wealthy,
corruption exacerbates economic inequality by enriching the few at the cost of the
many. Corruption furthermore deters private sector development by constructing
barriers to innovation. Bribes impose financial burdens that disproportionately affect
small and medium-sized businesses, essential for sustainable development.
“Corruption is a cancer that eats away at a citizen’s faith in democracy, diminishes
the instinct for innovation and creativity.”
-Joe Biden
Violation of Public’s Rights
Human rights violations can flourish when an elite minority maintains the sole voice
in governance. Through distorting society’s economic, political, and social factors,
corruption in turn violates human rights. It can delegitimize institutions designed to
safeguard the rule of law or ensure an adequate standard of living. Money lost to
corruption diminishes government resources to fulfill human rights obligations,
deliver services, and improve living standards. When significant amounts of public
funds are diverted because of corruption, it becomes difficult to uphold the
institutions that are the basis for civil and political rights.
Gender Inequality
Corruption, furthermore, can aggravate gender inequalities. A United Nations
Development Programme study found that 76% of women surveyed believe
corruption has prevented access to public goods and services. As women tend to
utilize public goods more than men, they face greater effects when the efficiency of
services (such as implementing bribes to register a child in school) is undermined.
In paying bribes, women give up a larger proportion of their income compared to
men, reinforcing the cycle of poverty. Additionally, when sextortion becomes a
currency of corruption, gender becomes a direct implication of the disproportionate
effects of corruption on women.
Ability to tackle crises
Corruption hinders the ability of the global community to tackle transnational
issues. To combat climate change, it is estimated that 7-15% (US$1-2billion) of the
US$13 billion annual climate funds allocated to the water sector are lost to
corruption. Concerns regarding the procurement of aid are heightened by the top
recipients of climate finance—receiving 41.9% of the US$546 billion of funding–also
facing higher instances of corruption. Notably, the least corrupt of these recipients–
Senegal and Argentina–only rank 66 out of 180 on the 2019 Corruption Perceptions
Index. In Bangladesh, it is estimated 35% of climate project funds have been
embezzled. Furthermore, corruption creates a weakened fiscal ability to address the
climate crisis. Diverted funds from corruption correlate to poor-quality investments
to mitigate the effects of rising sea levels, desertification, and other effects of
climate change.
Furthermore, government inefficiency results in inadequate responses to crises and
natural disasters, which are more prominent with climate change.
Most Corrupt Countries
Corruption is subjective, meaning it exists in almost every country, but the extent or
degree varies from country to country.
The most renowned and trusted index which ranks nations worldwide based on the
degree of corruption in the public sector is Corruption Perception Index,
released by the private body Transparency International every year since 1995.
The latest report, Corruption Perception Index 2021, was released in January
2022. It ranked 180 countries based on scores between 1 (highly corrupt) and 100
(no corruption). The scores are given to the countries for the level of
corruption, cronyism, electoral frauds, Kleptocracy, Influence peddling, nepotism,
slush fund present in the country, and the government's efforts in curbing
corruption.
Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, Singapore, and Sweden were the top 5 least
corrupt countries, respectively. In contrast, Syria, Somalia, and South Sudan were
the top three countries with high corruption levels.
Conclusion
Corruption is a vicious cycle, meaning there is no end to the havoc it can wreak on
the state and society. Its spread must be actively checked—if not by national
governments, then by the international community.
“The truth will always be our shield against corruption.”
Corruption correlates to political instability, undermining global peace worldwide. In regions that
confront violence, corruption in police and security undermines the state’s ability to protect its civilians.
Furthermore, numerous armed conflicts, such as in Syria, initiate from civilians protesting and revolting
against corrupt autocratic regimes. As a result, corruption is the root cause of much political instability
and conflict worldwide.
There is a strong correlation between bureaucracy and corruption: the larger the state apparatus, the
more opportunities state officials have to extract resources from their citizens. In countries with high
levels of corruption, businesses allocate considerable time and resources to dealing with red tape, often
paying bribes to facilitate business operations. The losses in economic efficiency are evident.
Corruption increases the cost of public services. Through creating financial or other barriers, the access
to essential services is often impeded. As such, the government’s ability to provide for the people is
undermined by personal gain. In the public sector, such instances are most common in public
procurement—as seen with the COVID-19 pandemic—and in the maintenance of state-owned
enterprises.
