Why do we indulge in corruption and how do we eliminate it?

All of us know how pernicious, soul-destroying, and corrosive corruption is. However, corruption is not a new phenomenon; it has been there in varying degrees from the dawn of civilization in almost all corners of the world. And so has the struggle against corruption been a timeless phenomenon! In this struggle, whenever the balance has tilted in favor of corrupt forces in a particular civilization, its collapse and disintegration soon followed.

Yet the question remains, why has corruption been so pervasive and ubiquitous a phenomenon? Why has some societies been more susceptible to corrupt influences than others? And what are the most effective weapons in this struggle against corruption, so that the corrupt forces are minimized and held in check, even if total elimination is not possible?

The roots of corruption is selfishness. The human heart is a battlefield where on one side is what can be called his lower self or ego – which is constantly in pursuit of pleasure, power  and self-preservation. All it cares is its narrow needs and fulfilment of its desires at any cost. On the other side is his Higher Self or Conscience. This urges him to be empathetic, altruistic, to care for his neighbor and even perform heroic acts of self-sacrifice. All religions in its most fundamental aspect tries to strengthen this higher Self or conscience in its battle against the narrow self-seeking ego. But, we get carried away by the superficial aspects of our religions, which in some cases of extreme misreading, ends up empowering our lower self! But that is another story!

Once we identify that the root of corruption is selfishness, we ask ourselves is human nature fundamentally predisposed to be selfish? Or is it that the seed of both selfishness and altruism lies in the depths of the human heart, and which of the two seed will sprout depends on one’s environment constituted of his family, community and socio-political order?

Of course, it can be said that with stricter laws and better law-enforcements, together with exemplary punitive measures corruption can be checked! There is no question that these measures will bring down corruption rates – as it has in certain western societies. But together with harsher laws, the general economic prosperity as well as relative social equality of these societies also play no small a role in making its people less susceptible to corruption. In some ways, it will not be very incorrect to say that a general well-being and a tradition of social bonding has made the citizens of these western societies more conscientious.

But what about poorer countries like Bharat, with vast social and economic inequality and abysmal justice-delivery system? Here we have an egg and chicken problem! Without eliminating corruption, economic well-being and social equality cannot be accomplished and without economic well-being and social equality, achieving a corrupt-free system can remain only a matter of empty slogan for self-serving politicians and utopian dream for rest of the citizenry. In such societies, corruption and power cannot be separated. The degree of corruption is only dependent on the degree of power concentrated in an individual. What can be done to get out of this hopeless situation?

In my opinion in such societies, a socio-political movement against corruption without at the same time developing the moral character of man, taking steps to build a society that makes every individual feel deeply connected to his community and fellow-men and a system that rewards goodness at least as much as if not more than material or worldly success, will not be able to check or eliminate corruption!