Corruption and The Developmental Process - Research Paper Example

Corruption and The Developmental Process In conclusion, it can be confirmed that corruption is a wide spread menace which has actively affected many realms of life. Corruption, be it in political terms, economic terms, social terms or environmental terms, it highly affects the developmental process by inserting impediments and diverting the equity in distribution of resources. This property can be identified in all types of corruption. This misappropriation of resources can be concluded as the end result of any type of corruption. Though differences may exist in the extent and mode of the misappropriation in accordance with the kind of corruption, what all kinds of corruption results with is the misappropriation of resources. The difference in the result is the kind of resource which is misappropriated which can include financial, social, environmental or political ones. When political corruption is taken into account for an example, the deliberate amendments of particular political machinery for personal or institutional gains would cause that the system which was originally designed to have appropriate division and distribution of resources gets manipulated resulting in inequity in resource distribution. The benefits which would have been envisaged by the political machinery to have received in appropriate quantum by the appropriate class of people would be diverted to be received by a non deserving class. This would in turn highly affect the efficacy of policy formulation and implementation. If interrupted by any type or mode of corruption, the objectives of any policy won’t be met to optimal levels and would also affect the developmental process hugely. When it comes to the environmental corruption, the detrimental effects can disintegrate and penetrate through generations as the ill effects often are irreversible and lives across generations. Koyuncu, Cuneyt, and Rasim Yilmaz (2009, p.213) has provided cross-country evidences for the impact of corruption on deforestation. The kind of corruption which would show direct impacts at a shorter term would be the economic corruption which includes the misappropriation of economic resources. This mode of corruption can have multifold effect, in accordance with the point of interruption. Economic corruption has been recorded all across the globe right from high level ‘nation to nation’ deals to the small scale projects pertaining to the food and shelter of economically deprived class of people. Interesting is the fact that all the modes of corruption can be interlinked with reference to their end results. For example, a major political corruption can end up with not only political outcomes but also can have economic aftermaths. This in turn can cause some social effects affecting the social make up of the society. Resultantly the rich would turn more rich and the poor more poor. This effect can reflect in multitudes as it can be found that corruption and economic and social equity can be found to be hugely interlinked. This fact can be confirmed as corruption can be found on a larger scale in countries which lack socio-economic security. The primary economic outcome is that corruption can cause an increase in the cost of living. This is the basic effect which would be felt by the common man, which in turn can cause detrimentally effective macro economic effects. The effect on cost of goods and services would further proliferate to macro levels, ultimately affecting the national economy. The negative impact that this increase in the cost of goods and services would cause can also be observed in multiple levels. Primarily the increase in cost of living due to the corruptive elements in the governmental and other allied distribution systems taking off a profit share would hugely affect the affordability of the common public. Another side of the impact is that this would influence the national economy in varied levels. This can further affect the way by which the national economy supports its citizens. Thus the multilevel of detrimental effects that corruption can have on the economy is confirmed. Based on this observation it is quite justified to conclude that corruption despite of its mode and intensity can affect the developmental process in larger terms. More clearly, corruption can be a strong impediment in bringing forth socio-economic security. Any trials towards the development of social, economic, political or environmental causes can be altered hugely by corruptive systems involved in its implementation. The results would not reach the intended target at the optimal pace and quantum, and would disintegrate and devaluate much before reaching the beneficiaries. The benefits would be lost much in value and quality in the process of implementation. A corrupted decision maker can be instrumental in affecting the quality of any socially and politically relevant implementation. Their profit motives can prompt the corrupt elements in the implantation system to agree for substandard quality. This becomes of much relevance when it comes to the case of public infrastructure. Corruption can cause high devaluation in the quality of public infrastructures like road, dams bridges etc. When this mode of corruption gets associated with political corruption, the scenario becomes more complex. Rémi Godeau, has been quoted to state that “These currency-guzzling abortive projects have become a graveyard of white elephants. Africa is littered with vast deserted motorways which are being eroded by the savannah, with fully functional but empty factories which have been left to fall into ruin only a few years after they were opened, with railway lines which are now impassable through a lack of maintenance, and with hydroelectric dams abandoned because they cost too much to run” (Frish D, p. 68-70). Technological advancements and other major contributors to the nation’s overall development can also get affected in terms of quality. The corrupted system would go for the sake of the pockets of the concerned rather than for the favor of the nation. In totality, it can be concluded that corruption is a strong impediment for all developmental processes viable to be interrupted by the corrupted machineries during implementation. This conclusion can be generic to all realms of development with no regard to the economic, political, environmental and social classifications. With reference to the context of the Republic of China, corruption always has had substantial impact on its political, economic and social setups. The recent spurt in the Chinese economy has provided more opportunities for the corruptive operations to take place (Johnston, p.3). The political reforms in China have also prompted the growth of corruption in the country. More dangerous is the underlying invisible relationship between the power and wealth making the event of corruption of more strength. The danger pertaining to the effect that corruption can have on Chinese society becomes of more relevance as the growing trend of Chinese economy can further open up opportunities for corruption. This possibility has been confirmed by Martin; Jean and John (2009, p.105) as they have opined that organization changes of varying magnitudes can promote corruption. The corruption in the Chinese society has been observed as a symptom of conflict of the traditional aspects of the culture, social setups and the state-society relationship with the developmental aspects pertaining to economy, politics and social factors. Thus it can be concluded that every event of corruption has direct linkage with the culture, society, economy and politics of China. Thus corruption of any extend, in this clash between traditions and development would either affect the process of development one side or on the other directly the traditional economy, politics and social factors. If the developmental process if affected would in turn affect economy, politics and the society. Gong, T (p.S5) has opined that the corruption in the auditing system of China can cuse serios impacts on the national economy leading to social and political impacts. In conclusion, it can be found that corruption can be detrimental for the future of Chinese economy, politics and the social setup. In some of the societies, cultural aspects tend to promote corruption. The history, the political background and the social understandings in some societies makes people think corruption as a part of the societal behavioral and considers it be a quite normal happening. The complexity adds as in these societies corruption is morally acceptable and in no terms is crime as for the people in those societies. Though this cultural factor can be a strong reason people overlooking corruption happening around them, this cannot be concluded as an irreparable social behavior working as an impediment in the process of corruption irradiation. This cultural attribute is resulted due to the lack of education on the aftermaths of corruption. Moreover in cultural scenarios like this, people are often unaware of their rights and consider the services of the public mechanisms as mercies offered by the implementing officers. They stay obliged to these implementing authorities for having received the rights they really owe. This is clear lack of awareness on rights and responsibilities and the clear reflection that the people of that particular society have not been empowered as nationally aware citizens. In turn this is a clear indication that the authorities should highly emphasize on training people towards the optimal knowledge on their rights so that they can demand for those rather than being obliged to the implementation agencies. This would turn the cultural impediment into a strong toll which can help to prevent corruption as the beneficiaries would be well aware of what to expect and what they deserve. As people would start not being satisfied with even a bit less than what they actually deserve, they themselves would serve as a social policing system strictly checking possibilities of corruption. Olusegun Obansanjo, former President of Nigeria, has been quoted to state that “In the African concept of appreciation and hospitality, a gift is a token. It is not demanded. The value is in the spirit of the giving, not the material worth. The gift is made in the open for all to see, never in secret. Where the gift is excessive, it becomes an embarrassment, and is returned. If anything, corruption has perverted the positive aspects of this age-old tradition”(Frish D, p. 68-70). This clearly indicates that it’s not the cultural attributes but the badly effective byproducts of these cultural attributes that promote corruption. Another factor which is often linked with corruption is the linkage with poverty and underdevelopment. When someone with inadequate income through proper sources gets into corruption for the cause of leading a minimal quality life, the social setup tends to justify the act of corruption. The argument in this case is that bringing in development and ensuring financial and social security to all realms of people is the solution against corruption. However, on this point it should not be concluded that the implementation of anticorruption measures should wait till development comes in. This should be read together with the fact that development is not a matter of a day or two. It will take its own time and it can not at all be justified to have corruption prevailed in the society till it achieves a stage of complete development. Another fact to be considered along with this is that as concluded above, corruption can be a clear obstacle for the process of development. The developmental measures cannot be expected to have the optimal results while implemented through and in a corrupted system. In conclusion, it can be found that these are complimentary factors and the process of development cannot efficiently happen in an environment which is corrupted. This clearly confirms that the measures to stop corruption should never wait for the developmental process. In turn such measures should pave way for the implementation of the developmental processes. While considering all these factors explaining the detrimental effects of corruption, it can be concluded that this social menace has to be given urgent consideration and the measures to prevent even minute possibilities of corruption has to be formulated. The anti corruption strategies must take into consideration the possible linkage between development and corruption. Neither should anti corruption measures nor should development stop for each other. On the other side the under developed scenarios which promote people to indulge into corruptive activities, must be repaired through proper developmental measures. Special emphasis should be given on proving public sector and other allied employees to have optimal living facilities. They should be rightly and properly paid so that they do not have to depend on the bribed money for a better living. Another major measure in combating corruption is to educate people on their rights. The cultural acceptability of corruption must be take care sensibly so that the people clearly define corruption and their rights as citizens. The beneficiaries of corruption and the benefits they earn socially and financially can kill the sprits of ethically operating people. People who work hard to make particular task done, would never be happy to see that people get the same thing done through corrupted sources. The harder becomes the feeling as through proper channels, the task may become much tedious. This can cause social disturbance in the society making ethically living people socially insecure. They will develop the feeling that the rights of them would be taken off by people who has sources close to the government and are much resourceful in terms of contacts and wealth. Thus it becomes important that the corruptive mode of dealings is checked especially in matters pertaining to public affairs. Along with this it must also be ensured that public facility transaction must be made easy and fluent so that common public won’t feel it difficult to have access to such resources. When a particular facility or service can be accessed easily by a common citizen with not much tedious efforts associated with it, not much people would be prompted to opt for unlawful access to those resources. For example if the application process to a subsidy program offered by the government is made easy so that it is ensured that no eligible person would be kept out as a beneficiary, people will not have to search for corrupted access to the subsidy. This would mean the creation of an unfavorable environment for the promotion of corruption. In other terms, this would mean the creation of healthy and favorable environment for the facilitation of purely non-corruptive and transparent dealings which pertain to economy, environment and society. This would demand a structural and function restructuring of the public facilitation systems resultantly putting the common public in ease. The concerned extension and implementation officers must be properly trained to be friendly for helping the people in the deliverance of common facilities and services. The importance of ensuring transparency in the services should be properly extended to the implementing officials. Including ethical trainings in the curriculum of the students, who would form the next generation handling the public facilities, will help to formulate a generation who is well aware on the importance of a non corruptive environment. This would be a substantial measure in designing a generation which is ethically well aware and in turn would be an ideal step towards the prevention of corruption. This would have a multi level effect discouraging people to be corrupt both at the receiving and the delivering end. The legal regulatory measures on corruption must be strengthened locally and nationally. There should be international consensus among nations engaging in different aspects of trade and other cooperation so that the lacunas in the laws of different nations are not utilized for corruption. A local body involving representatives of the local people can be formulated which would further ensure transparency. This will also help the common public to develop trust on the governmental and other public systems. Vigilance systems to monitor the operations of government officials and all other systems with susceptibility of corruption must be enhanced. The punishments on getting into the cats of corruptions must be made severe so that people are actively discouraged to get involved in such deeds. The factors which promote corruption have to be closely analyzed so as to help the formulation of strategies so as to prevent the possibilities of corruption. From the possible negative impacts of corruption, it can be however concluded that there is high need to prevent the act of corruption. The areas which need attention in terms of society, environment, politics and economy must be identified and policy formulations must be done accordingly. These policies will hugely depend and differ in accordance with the varying cultural, economic and social scenarios. Where in societies which is culturally neutral towards corruption, the policy must assert on public education backed by other regulatory measures, in communities which are culturally aggressive towards corruption more stimulatory measures can be carried out. What so ever it costs, it is important that the possibilities of corruption is irradiated from the society bringing forth equity in distribution of resources. This would mean that the developmental programs would be more effective as it would reach people and institutions in appropriate values and measures as planned by the policy makers. Spechler (p.149) has suggested transparency and ethnical thinking as key necessities in preventing terrorism. It becomes the responsibility of each of the citizens to ensure that their fellow citizens get justice in all realms of life. The deliverance of services and products ought to be received by an eligible beneficiary in no ways must be hindered or diverted. The one and only solution for this is to have a corruption free system in the deliverance of public resources. Corruption of any quantum must not be overlooked. When one ignores corruption sacrificing the quality and quantity of service or product to be received, it must be remembered that it’s not a mere individual loss, but an injustice imparted on the whole social system. No matter how big or small the corruption would be, the fact that must be understood is that overlooking it would pave way for the growth of a totally corruptive system. The earlier an act of corruption would be stopped the better would that do to the social, political and the environmental setup. References Dieter F, (1996), The effects of corruption on development, The Courier ACP-EU, 158, 68 – 70 Johnston M (2002). Corruption in China: Old Ways, New Realities and a Troubled Future. Retrieved 14 April 2009, from http://people.colgate.edu/mjohnston/MJ%20papers%2001/currhist.pdf Koyuncu, Cuneyt, and Rasim Yilmaz (2009). The impact of corruption on deforestation: a cross-country evidence.(Report). Journal of Developing Areas , 42.2, 213. Gong, T (2009). Audit for Accountability in China: An Incomplete Mission.(Report). Australian Journal of Public Administration , 68.s1 , S5(1). Spechler, M C (2009). The Institutional Economics of Corruption and Reform. Comparative Economic Studies , 51.1 , 149. Martin, K D; Jean L. J & John B. C. (2009). Organizational change, normative control deinstitutionalization, and corruption. Business Ethics Quarterly, 19.1, 105. Read More