Oct
Corruption
A topic in today’s news is how corruption in the Afghan government is creating an advantage for its enemy. The degenerative effects of corruption have a long history. For instance, the Turkish Empire was rife with corruption. Bribery had become an institution in itself. Known as “baksheesh,” bribery was like a second economy. (The term baksheesh was so pervasive that even the Russians use the word.) Turkey fell apart in pieces, much like a leper.
We see the results of corruption in Mexico. The open warfare ignited by drug cartels is a consequence of unbridled corruption. Though Mexico has the second largest economy in the hemisphere, most of its people are destitute. This is because corruption has thrived at all levels of Mexican government with very little restraint.
China was rife with corruption during both the Manchu and Nationalist eras. Chiang Kai Chek was notoriously corrupt. It allowed the Japanese to make massive gains in China during World War II. Afterward, it left the door open for Communism to take over. Harry Truman once said of Chiang: “ I won’t give that scoundrel another cent!” He felt it better to risk a Communist takeover of China than support its corrupt leader.
Corruption can also be used to describe decay, rot and degeneration. When a thing is spoiled or rotten to the point of uselessness, it can be described as “corrupted.” History shows that decay is a good analogy for corrupt government.
As in the large, so in the small. Just as corruption can cripple a government, it can also undermine a business, a family or an individual. The illusion of corruption is quick and easy profit, while the actual result is a slow and insidious form of self-destruction. All the more reason to work in a clean and honest manner. By putting principles above cheap gains, one can ensure his well-being and avoid the pitfall of corruption.
