Difference between revisions of "Corruption"
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'''Corruption''' is, in politics and business, abusing one's position to enrich or otherwise advance oneself or one's friends or relatives. Bribery and [[nepotism]] are common forms of corruption. More subtle is the failure to perform civic duty, or to allow personal priorities to overcome national needs. | '''Corruption''' is, in politics and business, abusing one's position to enrich or otherwise advance oneself or one's friends or relatives. Bribery and [[nepotism]] are common forms of corruption. More subtle is the failure to perform civic duty, or to allow personal priorities to overcome national needs. | ||
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In [[morality]], it refers to the subversion of moral principle for ulterior motives. | In [[morality]], it refers to the subversion of moral principle for ulterior motives. | ||
Revision as of 18:38, January 18, 2010
Corruption is, in politics and business, abusing one's position to enrich or otherwise advance oneself or one's friends or relatives. Bribery and nepotism are common forms of corruption. More subtle is the failure to perform civic duty, or to allow personal priorities to overcome national needs.
"Officials, trained only to obey orders, have neither the desire, the equipment, nor the vision to modify rules to suit individual situations," Reimann explains. "The state bureaucrats, therefore, apply these laws rigidly and mechanically, without regard for the vital interests of essential parts of the national economy. Their only incentive to modify the letter of the law is in bribes from businessmen, who for their part use bribery as their only means of obtaining relief from a rigidity which they find crippling."[1]
In morality, it refers to the subversion of moral principle for ulterior motives.
Corruption and politics
Corruption was the great evil the Founding Fathers confronted. When Britain showed too much corruption, it was time to break free with the American Revolution. To overcome the temptations of corruption--such as luxury and bribery--in their own lives, the Founding Fathers cultivated the virtue of disinterestedness. That is, the made a conscious effort to not be the creature of his financial interests, and not give any sign to the public that they sought luxury or bribes. The goal was to be impartial, concerned only for the public good, not the advancement of friends or, still less, of party.
The Founding Fathers sought "Honor" --freedom from corruption, and a positive devotion to civic virtue. These were key elements of Republicanism, and the Founding Fathers made republicanism the core values of the American system of government.
Even personal shame and humiliation was preferable to a tarnished honor or the hint of corruption. When Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton was accused of corruption for making secret payments to a man named James Reynolds, Hamilton revealed he had been set up and was paying blackmail to Reynolds following an affair with Mrs. Reynolds. Duels over honor were common in the era--Hamilton was killed in one, as was Hamilton's son.
Corruption continues to be the greatest threat to republicanism, and is a red flag for both parties in the U.S., even though both parties have been guilty.
In December 2008, the Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, was arrested on corruption charges. He had attempted to sell Barack Obama's vacant senate seat to the highest bidder, and threatened to withhold funding from a children's hospital.[2]
