Essay \"Corruption in society. \" - grade A- PDF

Preview

Summary

Corruption in Society. ...

Description

Reflection I (20 points) – Annie Chocron The appearance and presence of corruption in our society can be attributed mainly to weak control systems and criminogenic asymmetries. The problem of corruption is systemic rather than individual [1] These asymmetries promote a corrupt behavior in which practices like “speed money”, nepotism and bribery has become the rule instead of the exception. Corruption is so embedded in our society that it became the normal and regular thing to do. The bottom problem is that corruption is seen as a “necessary evil” to reach success. It has been reinforced through institutionalization, rationalization and socialization making it harder to address and combat. Furthermore, many people justify their behavior by saying that corruption is greasing the wheels of the economic system and is better for everyone. Many believe that corruption may be beneficial in a second best world by alleviating the distortions caused by ill-functioning institutions [2] However, they are not seeing the big picture ignoring all the harm corruption is causing. Corruption is nothing more than “sand on the wheels” of this system. It only brings negative consequences and detriment to society, it is a behavior that is worth combating and do whatever is possible to eliminate. A corrupt society cannot thrive, its economy is harmed, there is no foreign investment, unemployment increases and inefficiencies arise. The problem is that the ones that have the power to fight corruption have no interest to do it. Public officials and people in the government receive extra remunerations that they don’t necessarily deserve, like important charges or extra money for “favors”. It is a vicious circle, why would someone be interested in fixing the system if they are receiving benefits? It would seem irrational to do it. Our culture and structure promotes corrupt behavior without individuals experiencing any moral conflict while doing it. In the developing world, corruption has hampered national, social, economic, and political progress [3]. The cost of most of the goods are externalized and beard by society driving prices up, the jobs in public places are given to the one that has most connections not to the most qualified one. Corruption has changed our way of being and thinking, the only way of showing success is by monetary gains regardless of how it was achieved. Fixing the economy and politics is hard but not impossible. Nevertheless, changing the way that an entire society thinks and behave is a whole different thing and is very unlikely to happen without the proper effort and commitment. Corruption has drastically changed our generation in a way that is very difficult to reverse and it is provoking serious consequences to the entire world.

[1]Passas, Nikos. "A Structural Analysis of Corruption: The Role of Criminogenic Asymmetries." Transnational Organized Crime 4, no. 1 (1998): 3 [2] Meon, P.G. & Weill, L. (2009). Is corruption an efficient grease? World Development, 38(3), 244-259. (2) [3] Passas, Nikos. "A Structural Analysis of Corruption: The Role of Criminogenic Asymmetries." Transnational Organized Crime 4, no. 1 (1998): 7

[1]Passas, Nikos. "A Structural Analysis of Corruption: The Role of Criminogenic Asymmetries." Transnational Organized Crime 4, no. 1 (1998): 3 [2] Meon, P.G. & Weill, L. (2009). Is corruption an efficient grease? World Development, 38(3), 244-259. (2) [3] Passas, Nikos. "A Structural Analysis of Corruption: The Role of Criminogenic Asymmetries." Transnational Organized Crime 4, no. 1 (1998): 7...