It is busting out all over, this corruption phenomenon! Everyone is debating it from one end of the globe to the other. It is the ‘mot du jour', or perhaps of every ‘jour'! A burgeoning global media has contributed to highlighting the spread of corruption, while the media itself is corrupt. A very old practice mentioned in writings dating back to 2500 BC in Babylonia, corruption is nothing new. Why therefore all the fuss! Why has it become the hot issue of the day? Corruption is rampant. No country is without it, no government is without it. It makes no distinction between age, position, class or social system. The only variance is the extent of corruption ---how extreme, how visible how tolerated. Encompassing many forms, corruption includes bribery, extortion, nepotism, fraud, commissioning, rewarding, influencing, perversion, etc and it exists everywhere not only in government, but in banks, institutions, corporations, businesses, schools, politics --- yes, by all means, politics. Not religion or sports, they are above the fray! They are not! What evil has been committed in the name of religion throughout the ages? The FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) scandal of 14 executives arrested by the Swiss police and charged with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering of over $100 million to assign rights to sponsored tournaments in Latin America should not have been so shocking. Did we not suspect it when South Africa won the bid to host the 2010 World Cup? What about the 2022 Qatar World Cup, was that a fair choice or did it cost hundreds of millions of dollars? Wink, wink --- we all suspected that! It is what is known as “international grease”. The only shock is they were caught. Kickback money happens daily and is for the most part, tolerated. It was not even cause to dethrone President Sepp Blatter, who has run FIFA since 1998. Bribery, being the most common form of corruption has been the most researched in local and global economics and political and social domains. ‘The World Book' estimates that $1 trillion is paid every year in bribes, worldwide. Since it is not an isolated phenomenon, but a common international one, what is wrong with the concept of corruption? It is not only an obstacle to achieve a good form of government but it can affect the judicial system resulting into chaos and lawlessness. That shakes the very foundation of any social system, tearing at the very fabric of public security… and yet we choose corruption at some level or another. A study in “Social Psychology and Personality Science” found a correlation between the seemingly innocent and unrelated behaviour of voluntary tipping tended to have higher rates of corruption. A ‘quid pro quo' is expected for good services rendered. Which brings us to another brewing scandal… that of US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. While serving as secretary of state during Obama's first term, tons of money descended on the Clinton Foundation, established supposedly for charity, from foreign countries that had business interests with the US. Moreover, husband Bill's public-speaking fees hit the roof. The Clinton's claim they left the White House broke, now they are worth over $100 million. No one ever accused the Clintons of honesty or integrity. Is it true that everyone has a price? Are we all born with some degree of corruption? Even the Bible, Genesis: 8:21, it is declared that “the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth”… 'youth' meaning at birth. Philosophers have debated, studied and analysed the nature of man. Is corruption a human trait, or is it acquired by need or greed? Jean Jacques Rousseau believes that “Man is by nature good. Men are perverted by society”. His British counterpart Thomas Hobbes affirms that: “Man is free to do whatever it takes to preserve what he wants, because life is brutal and nasty and if we did not stand for ourselves, who would?” David Montesquieu queries: “Are we bad, or is it the fault of society that we are bad?”, while John Locke is confident that “we are born good and peaceful and life or society is what leads us to corruption”. If we are born ‘good', and we make up our society, how come society is blamed for our sins? Remember the 7 original deadly sins: laziness, pride, envy, greed, gluttony, lust and anger? We may all be susceptible to some degree or to all degrees when it comes to corruption and greed. It is embedded in all of us. How often do men or women enter politics for a noble cause, for the common good, and soon they either become corrupt, or leave politics! We all possess a capacity for good and evil… men of religion have committed grievous sins, and criminals have been known to perform acts of kindness… ”there is a soul of goodness in things evil” and vice-versa. Tory MP Brian Binley admitted: “we are all totally corrupt”, but maybe not! Corruption erodes patterns of morality and social values, “which is the foundation of ethics, necessary for human rights and dignity”. To end corruption is no easy task. Blaming government is not a solution. We are not blameless! If every citizen felt responsible and refused to tolerate the abuse of public power for private benefit, corruption will be diminished. We have a choice… obey our conscience, adhere to human honour and veracity, we might even eradicate corruption! ”It is a public scandal that gives offence, and it is no sin to sin in secret” MOLIERE (1622-1673)
