There is nothing to be proud of India's ranking in the Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index 2009. The country ranked low also in the Bribe Payers Index among emerging economic giants.
There is nothing to be proud of India's ranking in the Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index 2009. The country ranked low also in the Bribe Payers Index among emerging economic giants. The use of public funds for private gain is common. The misuse of power, position and privilege is widespread. Corruption seems to be a fact that affects all sections of society.
Misappropriation of public funds and acquisition of ill-gotten wealth are clearly illegal. However, subtler forms of non-material corruption, coupled with abuse of power and misuse of privilege, are equally prevalent but not often debated.
Power corrupts: Lord Acton said: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This aphorism is widely acknowledged as true. William Pitt, the Elder, a British Prime Minister, echoed similar sentiments when he said “unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it.” Both seem to have based their observations on anecdotal evidence rather than formal research. The systematic enquiry and evaluation of evidence in social sciences were not standard in their times.
Corrupts absolutely: Recent research confirms Lord Acton's dictum that power corrupts. Contemporary research has focussed on issues related to power and on the state of powerfulness and powerlessness; on how power affects people's behaviour and thinking. The evidence suggests that people who believe that they deserve their power and position are morally pliable and more prone to abuse their privileges. Studies have documented that power and hypocrisy go hand in hand as the powerful feel a sense of entitlement; their sense of privilege become private law. The culture of entitlement results in double standards, one for themselves, their family and friends, and the other for the general population. Such use of divergent values and principles by the individuals involved results in hypocrisy. One could argue that corruption and hypocrisy are the price society pays for being led by the privileged.
Power attracts: Anecdotal evidence also suggests that power attracts the corruptible. This may be particularly true when systems are steeped in or breed corruption. If organisational structures provide greater and illegitimate influence with the rise in status within institutional hierarchies, then loftier titles and higher ranks mean illicit power. Power will attract those who seek to use and misuse such licence for their own ends.
Power and corruption seem to have a complex and bidirectional relationship. In societies which accept corruption as part of life, power appears to attract the corrupt and those in power encourage corruption. These associations seem to work on the whole, with exceptions proving the rule.
Privilege empowers: Even a cursory analysis of the powerful clearly documents the fact that privilege is almost always the route to power. Privileged education, in private schools, provides the platform for future unassailable confidence, disarming sincerity, captivating charm and understated authority. It also makes for articulate and confident individuals with high self-esteem. The combination of parental aspirations, family resources and excellent education lays a firm foundation for later success. Children's levels of achievement are usually closely linked to their parents' background. The privileged background of many elected representatives also argues that many advantages are inherited rather than inherent.
Spectrum of corruption: Corruption in its broadest sense is not restricted to financial irregularities. The abuse of religion, language, ethnicity, kinship, privilege and position also comes under this rubric. Such misuse is also a form of moral fraud. However, these may be in the form of “softer” violations which, though equally fraudulent, are much more difficult to recognise, quantify, track and document. While moral corruption may be universal, it tends to spread like wildfire when it is accepted as the norm at the top of an organisational hierarchy and within institutions and populations.
Conflicts of interest: It is widely recognised that related and unrelated interests can, directly or indirectly, influence decision-making; specific interests can prejudice appraisals and consequently bias judgments. It is always good policy that interests are declared and conflicts evaluated in people who are entrusted with impartial decision-making. The presence of conflicts of interest is independent of any execution of impropriety. Many organisations now mandate that such financial and other interests be declared prior to appointments to decision-making bodies. Removal, disclosure, recusal and third-party evaluations are different methods of managing them.
Individuals and systems: Power and privilege are usually institutionalised and are part of systems and organisations. Organisational support for unaccountable power often causes individuals who occupy top positions to fail to differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate use of such power and privilege. The line between these is often very fine, with many individuals unable to see the difference. Even honest individuals may unquestionably accept their positions and consequent power without realising its impact on their functioning. Their intelligence, diligence, strategic planning and hard work to reach the higher echelons of their organisation may propel them to believe that their position and privilege are well deserved. Such feelings of entitlement often result in double standards and consequent hypocrisy. Even the most scrupulous people can be caught in such situations when they come up with ill-conceived schemes and proposals, or when they want to rigidly maintain status quo, despite evidence of a need for change.
The corruptible actively seek power to enhance their position and privileges, and in pursuit of more unaccountable authority. Systems, which encourage corruption and which have normalised illegitimate power, support such people's sense of entitlement, thus furthering their original aims of acquiring public power for private gain.
Corruption and India: While no society is free from corruption, what is worrying is that such behaviour appears normalised in India. The licence raj of the past did not help. Capitalism, globalisation and liberalisation have also increased the pressure to succeed, achieve targets and acquire wealth quickly. The abuse of public power, office and resources for personal gain is common. A culture, which declares conflicts of interests and institutes systems to assess them, is rare and yet to take hold in India.
No organisation is immune to the abuse of power. The intense desire to leave lasting legacies and to make significant changes in institutional direction and function often result in decision-makers short-circuiting standard procedures. The culture of sycophancy, common in our culture and society, aids and abets in such corruption. Double standards in public life are accepted; hypocrisy is tolerated and is the norm.
The way forward
We need to focus on power and highlight the abuse of privileges. Corruption does not necessarily imply financial fraud. All of us need to examine ourselves as individuals to identify, minimise and eliminate double standards and hypocrisy. We need to audit our systems and institutions to change the culture, which breeds such corruption. The task is to identify power, which comes with position, to recognise conflicts of interest and to detect feelings of entitlement, which turn the privilege of office into private law. The struggle is not a one-time affair in the lives of individuals, systems and communities but a constant quest, a journey. Society should allow for greater social mobility for wider social participation and greater equality.
There is need to re-examine our culture, which has normalised corruption in its many different forms. We in India need to acknowledge the need for introspection on our acceptance of the abuse of power. The “Seven Nolan Principles of Public Life” — selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership by example — should form the standards for holding public office. There should be regular and independent reviews of individual and organisational functioning. The challenge is to inspire and change individuals and to transcend and transform societal norms.
(K.S. Jacob is Professor of Psychiatry at the Christian Medical College, Vellore.)
Keywords: power, corruption
Very well articulated article.
Comment on comments on corruptions. Intersting pieces reaaly;Pak-china ganging up to dismantle india,weak india invited foreign agression, self pities/nationalistic self prides etc and many such others and the article itself completely ignores the " social inequities", caste system defending abject poverty/ pie in the sky or next life dream --all part of hindu faith as a major cause of corruption at least to this physcian;Look at drona chariya ji's corruption -- asking the thumb as the fee ( see mahabharat)a trick played a poor bheel. Hindu upper caste is almost totally insensitive to plight of poor;They are driven to enjoy their status as divine dividend from past life. System is thus perrennial/perpetual.In one word " reform resistent".Can the civil society do away the caste /varna system ? Answer is NO. Hindus are very proud of their system as any one else is abt his faith.Indian corruption has power of GODs and who can defeat GOD(s) ?.Wish some one like Mr Jacob may want to have some reflections on this .
As some one said, benefit to risk is highly in favor of corruption. No platitudes or moralistic statements will work. The culprits are existing law, judicial system. I fail to understand why judiciary cannot work with target to close cases on the average. When all work on target judiciary should also work on target like there is threat of getting cough, things will not improve.
Corruption can be eliminated in a jiffy if there is will. Punish theose caught accepting bribes swiftly,dismiss them from service,cut off their pensions etc,income tax to see how much assets they have and seize the unaccounted funds.Seems so simple but those in power dont want to implent this for obvious reasons.
looks like a balanced article.
The way forward gives guidelines for corrective measure.
but Media needs to take responsibility to change the culture, as induvidual attemts may get crushed with current culture.
This one is a powerful article. Well said. The observation is not a bombshell. The corruption level in our country as on today has reached a diabolically dangerous level. There may be many reasons but the undisputed one is the respect these disingenuous, corrupt marauding despoilers get in the society. Being corrupt is not a shame but an accepted way of life. A social evil carried forward from the last century!
Honesty has been denounced in every walk of life, including by many religious leaders!
Excessive greed for money and comfort, unable to cope with the haves; the have not s have found this way easier to lead a comfortable life. Who cares about shame, nowadays!
Being corrupt by the ‘haves’ goes without saying!!
From independence, till now, the country is being ruled by parties( including a family owned one) which are corrupt, in one way or the other. There is no transparency in transactions. The appointment of new CVC is a classic example of brazen corruption and nepotism.
More than any law & act for sincere and severe punishment for corruption, the attitude of the society needs to change. The moment corrupt people feel that they are discarded, the corruption level would come down. The other cruel alternate shall be the capital punishment, once caught and on the spot.
Powerless Lok Ayuktha, biased anti- corruption agencies are dolls in the hands of corrupt politicians who run this country. But, one consolation is we are better than Somalia!
We have ‘Satyameva Jayathe’ inscribed proudly in our National symbol. We ourselves do not respect it. So damnable!
Soon a Honest Indian will be declared an endangered specie! We need to protect him!!
Power does not corrupt.It corrupts only when its given sans accountability. Neither the political bosses nor the bureaucrats are not accountable for their acts.
Mrs Indira Gandhi first acknowledged the institutionalization of corruption in our country when she once said that corruption is part of the system. Corruption is so deep that not a single file moves without greasing palms. The tragedy is that if there is an honest officer in any department he is ridiculed for being stupid. I attribute the existence of terrorism and naxalism as direct effects of a corrupt system. Funds allocated never reach the intended users. Food lies rotting in go-downs with millions that need to be fed. Frustrated and angry people have only one way of getting heard which is by threatening property and lives or by making a nuisance of themselves. In many countries senior government officials are regularly punished on charges of misappropriation and dereliction of duty, but our system protects the powerful and punishes the poor. Unless people are made accountable and the guilty are ruthlessly punished for their crimes and lapses there is no way that we can overcome this national shame.
Prof Jacobs comments.
When it comes to indicating solutions he has given only generalities. These are of very little value.
Can I suggest some concrete action: No one should be tolerated to be above law even in normal happenings. No previleged positions for officials or ministers and the like. Ordinary citizens should have easy access to information on ministers' performance.
In government offices if no action is taken on applications within certain time say 10 working days), they should give explanation to the citizen concerned why a grant is not approved or a land deal is not processed etc, and should list required remedial matters. I can go on but this is a sample.
In a democracy power rests with People isn't it?
So when and how is this power transferred to these so called moral lacking individuals?
I for one among many Indians think our bureaucracy has played a safeguarding role as well. Like in case of trying to do one good think requiring time doing a bad thing also requires the same.
I for one believe there is reason why we are on a positive curve as country not denying that its abysmal compared to the potential we have as the youngest country is because there is at least one in hundred who has the moral the author is talking about. This one individual either creates the process hard enough to overcome or becomes a block in between for a file to pass through in the bureaucracy.
Everyone among us will know at least one of these people and these people deserve the accolades and praise at every step from each of us. We need to make them the stars real stars and may our leaders too. I for one believe if we can do this to get the numbers high enough to get to 10 in 100 the system will protect itself. Indian Judiciary of course is curse earlier it was delay oriented issues now its moral lacking in Judiciary what more no one can even touch them as well.
Power has to be given based on a person values and nothing else. The smartest individual with wrong values can only rob you better.
Nehru fought and caved in to corruption;
It is on record that J L nehru ran for mayor of allahabad in !920s and won.Then he confesses that those who had helped in election were " making money"by corruption;He attempted to confront/counsell them against it. But soon he realised his failure to curb.Young mayor Nehru had resigned just on this issue.Corruption off course has been part of system and then as PM of india he too had to look other way;HE naturally loved to be a PM of a well established corrupt system.The present article is a great summary. Can the " civil society"do something besides writing and reading such articles?
As Indian citizen we should certainly use our power of vote during election.the middle class and upper middle class people normally stay away from the election thinking that there is no use of voting and hence the percentage of voting is poor and all corrupted and blind votes goes to the powe and money hunger people who awaits to the situation for selfish interests. The educated,informed and morally tired citizens stay away from the voting paving way for the currupt and criminals to win the post. they should go and certainly vote to the deserving and change the culture.they should also try to educate the others who are influenced by the muscle and money power section and nececitate the change. let us start today we may see the difference at least after 25 years.
People must vote only for Honest People !They are to be educated that Power is in their Hands-750 million Voters,Terrific power. Only way is to educate the People to vote right in democracy they get the Govt that they Deserve ! Laws have to be made so that Black Market Money can not be enjoyed by these criminals.Sorry that the Censors is revised on the basis of Castes.All must be just Indian !It is a pity that India is Divided on Languages.China & Pakistan have joined to Break India into small states and we are playing into their Hands !We could be a great Power only if we are united as one Nation.
I feel like we are trapped in a vicious circle of corruption.
The country where power is vested in the illetrates in the form of right to vote and where there is an eligiblity criteria for applying for a class 4th job but no criteria for applying for a seat of MP ,what else one can expect?
People talk big but go to UP ,you will find corruption as a natural phenomenon and wastage of taxpayers money a general routine.
In a country where getting a job in sync with your study is a big thing , how do you expect youth to enter in politics and do the reform?
Those same bunch of corrupt people get elected again and again or when they retire their son/daughter take there place. Is this what we call democracy ?They are people whom we look upon for changing the system but when everything is in there favour why would they d o so ?
They are making good money from there job fooling people around and they are doing it recursively .
WORKING INDIANS ARE NOT CORRUPT AT ALL.WE WORK HARD AND WE PAY TAXES.
Only when government interface comes into picture the corruption comes into picture.
Dont say that people should change then country will change.
ITS ONLY A PARTICULAR SECTION THAT IS CORRUPT AND THE STRENGTH OF THAT SECTION IS DEMOCRACY !!!!
The question is whom shall we look for changes then ??
And I dont feel like there is a satisfactory answer for this.....
12 laks rupees asked by a vigilance officer to give a possitive report for a doctor working in madurai. TN. whos is the culprit?
The writer makes all the correct statements lamenting on corruption in India. When it comes to the “THE WAY FORWARD” at the end, he fails to draw the right conclusions. Indians are perhaps not more corrupt than others but the combination of democracy and socialism provides the maximum opportunities for corruption. Take two prominent counter examples China is communist but it has a dictatorship. The government catches and gives terrible punishments to corrupt officials (executing some with much publicity). That system works because there is real fear of getting caught and punished. The second example is the USA which has a democracy but the relative amount of money in government or public projects is limited and there is correspondingly limited scope for looting public money.
India must learn from these systems to go forward – and choose from one of the following: (A) A communist dictatorship or (B) A democratic system in which a small government performs very few tasks besides defense of the country and some regulatory activities.
On a side note – the Naxals / Maoists apparently are agitating for choice (A) because they see corruption in the society as incurable.
As it said "one team should start eradicating corruption from village panchayath office and one team from first citizen's offiec when they meet each other then only corruption will be zero.
really it is very pethetic situation we as citizens of India are facing. at the very first i would like to comment upon the people itself who has got the right to elect the government ( the said parliament legislatives). now the time has come to come out our shelf.
if we are talking about the government it can be called one of the most currupted govt. this government has instead of generating the livelihood for the bottom line people made an end for them. i think that when Shila dixit in her apology saying that the bridge which felt down was for ordinary commuters she is saying everything about her metality. these politicians while going to the poor people and begging for a vote they be like they are the most creditworthy person but after the election they show their heredity.
they are just the tail of dog which cant be streight.
you can just imagine what would be the situation of the poor people after CWG 2010. you can have a small snapshot in Pippli Live.
the money which is spent in this common wealth game for the creation of facilities by the delhi govt is totally a fake record they are showing everyone has used them for personnel expenses some the mother fuckers would be having again money inveseted in swiss banks or some other banks. some has taken the cpital assets not on their names but their son in law's daughters name or indirectly u can say.
overall i can say the system has been on the way to collapse. then these m.fs are engaged in their political benefits. they will start their political campaign on this CWG basis. then they will not talked about the NREGA or other social schemes. you can directly see this when the report in times of india says that Badal ( CM of Punjab ) has his medical and spent 87 lacs approx.
the government is praising and giving facilities to the terrorists who have attacked to our heart, our monument like parliament, our taj palace Mumbaii like their son in law. they would be proving their mothers, dughters to them to have fun.
everyday we have lots of people die of being hungry , poverty, social cause etc. there is a need of the revolution.
i am talking about the revoliution but what i can do. if i m standing somewhere in against to something the blood of the people has been impotent. they will not support me. our blood has been dirty. i want to kill all the politician whomsoever are having any case of rape, cheats etc. no mercy.
i want to have the political reform at the very first. i know the situation of the common youth in india. they are all wanting seriously to have neat and clean India. but when they are told that how u r following your thinking how are you proceeding your ideas they obviously they have to keep mum since they have the liability of their family.
A classic article! A look at the affairs in the State of Andhra Pradesh and how few individuals who amassed huge wealth in the last 5-10 years, and aspiring for power is an indication that we are in a very bad phase in our evolution.
Professor Jacob has no doubt written a very nice and inspiring article.He has tried to set norms for the people with power.But who cares?All the powerful people do misuse the power. Actually, there is power only when it is misused otherwise who is powerful?
In this context I fully agree with Manu. If there is a gentle,honest and nice person working always for the cause of the society and if he happens to contest the elections then he will not get the votes; and a rowdy moving in Scorpio with two or more cars with people weilding guns would be voted to get the power. Then who is corrupt?The people or the leader?
Well written article, Prof K.S.Jacob. I really enjoyed it.
But when you say "All of us need to examine ourselves as individuals to identify, minimise and eliminate double standards and hypocrisy" I believe only a select few who have been blessed with the necessities of life are in a position to do any introspection. The vast majority of Indians who are suffering from hunger & other forms of pain with no hope of a secure life for themselves or their children would laugh at the prospect of introspection & inner moulding. Provide the "underprivileged" with education or any means to a sustainable livelihood & soon they will join this forum to eradicate corruption. But not until then. Higher priorities exist. Survival!
As you rightly said, this is a struggle that will not end in one's life time but rather a journey. Once we have a population that has had the basic education; police, judicial & political situation will drastically improve. Once survival is guaranteed, comes soon after an arrogance to expect much from the so-called public servants. Unfortunately not until then......Dont you think so?
We need this, we need that... not at all. We, the people, need to stop bending to corruption. If we think it is normal for corruption to chew us up, we will gladly be chewed. Voting is not going to do it, changing parties is not going to do it. Violence might help change a few practices but is not practical on a large scale. We simply need to start a huge non-co-operation movement with all government officers' corrupt practices! Maybe the media can help if they are not too busy catering to the whims of their corporate and political honchos.
It is the unwillingness of the lay public to take the trouble to live a morally correct life that fuels corruption at least at the grass-root levels. For example, an average person will not hesitate before bribing a clerk in a government office because he/she thinks that it is the norm and that there is no way but to bribe, thus self-righteously justifying his/her actions.
we as nation failed because we don't get required number of leader who can work with integrity and deliver governance.the disease is poor governance corruption is only symptom.we need to address the disease.India cannot bear this burden for long time. a huge reform in our education system especially in primary education where moral education should become founding principle of education can help us to fight with corruption.
Indians are corrupt. So only corrupt people will come into power. We have seen so many incidents where MLAs and MPs facing murder cases, rape cases, involved in many scams and fraudulent activitiesn have got elected into Parliament and state legislature. When people are electing corrupt using their VOTE (only power we have got in democracy) then how can we expect those corrupt people to work properly. First people should change. People should become honest and prompt then country will change. Every time when election happens i will be shocked to see rapists, murderers, rowdys, cheaters getting elected to parliament.
Inordinate delays in judicial process breeds corrupion.We have more than enough laws to punish the corrupts, but people know how to modify laws and escape.
So proper and expedious execution of judgement by courts will surely help in taming corruption
A timely article. Words simply fail to describe the intensity of anguish when corruption is eating the very vitals of democratic functioning and governance. Laws, justice-delivery system, and other agencies which are the watch-dogs of the corruption related crimes, are all there but they favor the powerful and the corrupt. Unless economic inequalities are abolished and there is a moral renaissance among the people, corruption cannot be eliminated.
All of these are true. Inspiration may work.
But India's true failing has been in the judicial system. If I go out and sue the corrupt, I will be punished for at least 20 years (by unending delays).
Fix the courts. Punish the guilty swiftly. Morality will improve.
We may not have a very strong left party in india but a strong left party is required in this country as left parties by enlarge non corrupt political force,t he people of india need them badly under this corrupt system.
Any country which was in the phase of transition of becaming a developed economy have faced this trend of greediness. There is suddenly a huge unaccounted resources need to be exhuasted and exploited. Corruption, an instrument to catalyst excessively desirous attribute of acquiring or possessing, especially wishing to possess more than what one needs or deserves.
Paradoxically, Its all about listening to your conscience, if you have one.
Nice way of expressing the difference between power and hypocrisy
The author has pointed out certain things that are not visible and in the perception of the common man to understand the meaning of the corruption and is praiseworthy but the bigger thing would have been to formulate certain guidelines which would help the general public to know the nuances of corruption and at the same time give the authorities in position an impetus to shun the corruption.May be that would have become a deterrent or reasons for someone to say good bye to the hateful corrupt practices.
It is really organized terrorism at very least; Once abt 25 years ago i with my wife and 2 young kids got off the New york Delhi flight, tired ,sleepy and exausted by those long custom lines and delays were driving by car towards Ghaziabad. We got stopped at a police check point and were asked to show our passport and then they wanted to make sure if our custom were done properly at the airport etc;The driver quietly whispered in my ears to give them Rs 200 for " chai-pani".Upset very angry young doctor then i had to swallow my 4000 Volt anger and had to acceed to my driver's sound couselling.I saved my family from unknown harrassement. This is one in billion stories shamefull, embarrasing and relection of " VEDIC-LARGEST" democracy having its top priorities , Going to moon, to be recognized as superpower and arrogence and pridefull of destroying house of worships and organizing messacres of fellow citizens.What a shinny India?.
Professor K. S. Jacob's opinion must be translated in every major language and published in all leading News Papers in our country.
How great it would be if it impacts the mind of every politician and every bureaucrat and everyone in power and positition!
prof jacob has very rightly pointed out that at first we should check our moral obligation in which manner we have to work as a public servant. no doubt there is corruption in society, what we can do is that at first instance we should rectify our current moral standard. power really tend to corrupt people and absolute power corrupt absolutely but we should not forget as member of society the implied responsibility.
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