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Essay on Corruption

Corruption refers to any act performed by individuals or a group in lieu of some form of bribes. Corruption is considered to be a dishonest and criminal act. If proven, Corruption can lead to Legal Punishments. Oftentimes the act of Corruption comprises the rights and privileges of some. It is very hard to find a definition that takes into account all the characteristics and aspects of Corruption. However, as responsible citizens of the Nation, we all must be aware of the true meaning and manifestation of Corruption in its every form so that whenever we come across it we can raise our voice against it and fight for justice. 

Place and Process of Corruption

Corruption is very common in government or private offices. The most common acts of Corruption involve some form of Bribery. Bribery involves some use of improper favours and gifts exchanged for personal gains of some sort. Moreover, Corruption is often found to be intertwined with embezzlement. Corruption can take place in many ways and in any public and private office. It is observed that most people in a position of power or authority are more likely to be involved in corrupt acts.  

The actual reasons behind Corruption are believed to be greed and selfishness. Bribery can include a range of favours like money, gifts, company shares, sexual favours, entertainment, political benefits as well as personal gain. One or more of such favors can inspire people to indulge in Corruption and preferential treatment and also inspire them to overlook criminal activities. 

Embezzlement, on the other hand, is another form of Corruption. An embezzlement is an act of withholding or concealing information about personal assets for the purpose of illegal trading or threat. Embezzlement generally involves people who were entrusted with the assets in question in the first place. Apart from being an act of Corruption, embezzlement is also an act of financial fraud. 

Another important form of Corruption is the graft. It is a global form of Corruption. It is also one of the most noteworthy and widespread corrupt practices in existence. Grafting refers to illegally using a politician's authority to achieve personal gains or goals. An eminent Example of this would be politically influential people misdirecting public funds to meet their own selfish needs.

Another important form of Corruption is extortion. Extortion means obtaining property, money or services through illegal means. Extortion takes place by taking advantage of individuals through coercion, threats or influence. It is very similar to blackmail. One of the oldest forms of Corruption is nepotism and favoritism. Both of these practices involve people being favored for a position or task due to his or her filial or familial status or ties. 

Another form of favoritism includes influence peddling. In this case, one's influence on people in power is used to get work done. The last form of Corruption is an abuse of discretion, in this type the person is power uses his or her authority to bend legal proceedings.

How to End Corruption? 

Corruption not only hinders working in an organization but also affects the economy of a country and the efficiency of various services. To stop Corruption, the government must take stricter measures. Existing laws must be strictly implemented and if the need arises, new laws are introduced. Workplaces should be strictly monitored to prevent any unethical exchange of favors. Only an end to small forms of Corruption can result in a cumulative effect and bring a significant change in Society. 

FAQs on Corruption Essay

1. How to write an essay on Corruption?

To write an essay on Corruption, the writer needs to have an understanding and get some research done on the topic. After they know something about the topic, a broad topic line and the layout of the essay can be figured out based on the number of words required to write the essay. Students can then start writing by giving a quirky and compelling headline that captures the reader's attention. After giving the headline, come the major and most important paragraph of the essay, that is, the introduction of the essay. The introduction sets the feel of the essay and should be written keeping that in mind. 

Most people who will see the essay will go through the headline and the introduction paragraph and this will set the impression if the reader will read the complete essay or not. Students can then move on to writing three to four paragraphs or more in the body part where they can explain more about Corruption, why it happens and how to solve the problem of Corruption. This will be the main content part of the essay. Then the student can conclude the essay with a nice conclusion which the reader will take with them, it should include the gist of the whole article and its important points. This is how students can write an essay on Corruption. They can also refer to Vedantu's website where they can find essays on Corruption and other topics that they can use or refer to.

2. How to prepare to write an Exam?

Essays are a form of creative writing which is often tested in Exams for a good weightage of marks. Creative writing is a skill and like all skills, it can also be learned. To write long-form content like this, where minimum word limits are given, it's necessary to note the information, one knows about the topic and then divide the topic in optimum layout to cover the maximum and minimum word limit. 

Any essay should be divided into 3 parts- The Introduction, The Body, and The Conclusion. The introduction of any essay is very important as a good introduction can really impress a teacher. The body contains the main facts, data, and explanation of the introduction. Conclusion concludes an essay with a complete list of the topic. Good words and proper use of grammar will give a different shine to your essay and the complete English Exam. 

Essay writing can be difficult for some students, but students should remember that essay writing is an easy and high-scoring area in an English Exam or test. Students can learn more about Essay Writing at Vedantu's official website where they can browse from various Examples of essays written by our best English teachers to help the students to get full marks in content writing. This is how students can write an essay in an Exam and get full marks.

3. Why does Corruption exist in Society?

Corruption is the venom that can destroy any Society. Tackling Corruption is indirectly tackling people's mindset and handling their needs by keeping the system fair and equal for everyone. The last decades have shown a lot of growth in the overall condition of the country but the Corruption rates have also sky-rocketed. Corruption can also exist because greedy people have a good network and contacts that get the work done.  Corruption can give one temporary control over their time but they should remember that they'll eventually be caught one day.

4. How to write a good body in an essay?

Essays are long-form creative writing exercises that can be often difficult for many students. The most time-consuming and biggest element of an essay is the body which comprises all the facts, explanations, and examples of the essay.  After writing a perfect and compelling introduction, the writer has to start the main heart and soul of the essay; the body. 

The body can be started by explaining the introduction statements and explaining one's opinion on the topic. These explanations and opinions can be backed up by some evidence, facts, or theories. That's how one can write a good body element in an essay. To study more about essay writing, one can check Vedantu's official website where they can browse many Examples and sample written essays on several topics by the best English teachers. Students can master the skill of essay writing with some practice and guidance.

5. What makes a good conclusion in an essay?

Essays are divided into 3 parts where the conclusion comes last after an introduction and the body. Introduction and body are important but the conclusion will decide how much the reader will take back with the conclusion is the concluding paragraph or paragraphs which need an essay with the gist of the complete essay. Unlike the introductory paragraph, which outlines the general idea of the essay, the conclusion should precisely confirm why one's thesis is correct using the facts from your supportive body paragraphs. That's why a conclusion is an important part of an essay and should be written that way. To learn more about essay writing, one can check out Vedantu's official website where they can find the format, Examples, and tips to write a good essay and a good conclusion. They'll find essays written on numerous topics by the best English teachers at Vedantu.

How to Stop Corruption Essay: Guide & Topics [+4 Samples]

Corruption is an abuse of power that was entrusted to a person or group of people for personal gain. It can appear in various settings and affect different social classes, leading to unemployment and other economic issues. This is why writing an essay on corruption can become a challenge.

One “how to stop corruption” essay will require plenty of time and effort, as the topic is too broad. That’s why our experts have prepared this guide. It can help you with research and make the overall writing process easier. Besides, you will find free essays on corruption with outlines.

• ✍️ How to Write an Essay
• 💰 Essay Examples
• 🤑 How to Stop Corruption Essay
• 💲 Topics for Essay

✍️ How to Write an Essay on Corruption

Before writing on the issue, you have to understand a few things. First , corruption can take different forms, such as:

• Bribery – receiving money or other valuable items in exchange for using power or influence in an illegal way.
• Graft – using power or authority for personal goals.
• Extortion – threats or violence for the person’s advantage.
• Kickback – paying commission to a bribe-taker for some service.
• Cronyism – assigning unqualified friends or relatives to job positions.
• Embezzlement – stealing the government’s money.

Second , you should carefully think about the effects of corruption on the country. It seriously undermines democracy and the good name of political institutions. Its economic, political, and social impact is hard to estimate.

Let’s focus on writing about corruption. What are the features of your future paper? What elements should you include in your writing?

Below, we will show you the general essay on corruption sample and explain each part’s importance:

You already chose the paper topic. What’s next? Create an outline for your future writing. You’re better to compose a plan for your paper so that it won’t suffer from logic errors and discrepancies. Besides, you may be required to add your outline to your paper and compose a corruption essay with headings.

At this step, you sketch out the skeleton:

• what to write in the introduction;
• what points to discuss in the body section;
• what to put into the conclusion.

Take the notes during your research to use them later. They will help you to put your arguments in a logical order and show what points you can use in the essay.

For a long-form essay, we suggest you divide it into parts. Title each one and use headings to facilitate the reading process.

🔴 Introduction

The next step is to develop a corruption essay’s introduction. Here, you should give your readers a preview of what’s coming and state your position.

• Start with a catchy hook.
• Give a brief description of the problem context.
• Provide a thesis statement.

You can always update and change it when finishing the paper.

🔴 Body Paragraphs

In the body section, you will provide the central points and supporting evidence. When discussing the effects of this problem in your corruption essay, do not forget to include statistics and other significant data.

Every paragraph should include a topic sentence, explanation, and supporting evidence. To make them fit together, use analysis and critical thinking.

Use interesting facts and compelling arguments to earn your audience’s attention. It may drift while reading an essay about corruption, so don’t let it happen.

🔴 Quotations

Quotes are the essential elements of any paper. They support your claims and add credibility to your writing. Such items are exceptionally crucial for an essay on corruption as the issue can be controversial, so you may want to back up your arguments.

• You may incorporate direct quotes in your text. In this case, remember to use quotation marks and mark the page number for yourself. Don’t exceed the 30 words limit. Add the information about the source in the reference list.
• You may decide to use a whole paragraph from your source as supporting evidence. Then, quote indirectly—paraphrase, summarize, or synthesize the argument of interest. You still have to add relevant information to your reference list, though.

Check your professor’s guidelines regarding the preferred citation style.

🔴 Conclusion

In your corruption essay conclusion, you should restate the thesis and summarize your findings. You can also provide recommendations for future research on the topic. Keep it clear and short—it can be one paragraph long.

Don’t forget your references!

Include a list of all sources you used to write this paper. Read the citation guideline of your institution to do it correctly. By the way, some citation tools allow creating a reference list in pdf or Word formats.

💰 Corruption Essay Examples

If you strive to write a good how to stop a corruption essay, you should check a few relevant examples. They will show you the power of a proper outline and headings. Besides, you’ll see how to formulate your arguments and cite sources.

✔️ Essay on Corruption: 250 Words

If you were assigned a short paper of 250 words and have no idea where to start, you can check the example written by our academic experts. As you can see below, it is written in easy words. You can use simple English to explain to your readers the “black money” phenomenon.

Another point you should keep in mind when checking our short essay on corruption is that the structure remains the same. Despite the low word count, it has an introductory paragraph with a thesis statement, body section, and a conclusion.

Now, take a look at our corruption essay sample and inspire!

✔️ Essay on Corruption: 500 Words

Cause and effect essay is among the most common paper types for students. In case you’re composing this kind of paper, you should research the reasons for corruption. You can investigate factors that led to this phenomenon in a particular country.

Use the data from the official sources, for example, Transparency International . There is plenty of evidence for your thesis statement on corruption and points you will include in the body section. Also, you can use headlines to separate one cause from another. Doing so will help your readers to browse through the text easily.

Check our essay on corruption below to see how our experts utilize headlines.

🤑 How to Stop Corruption: Essay Prompts

Corruption is a complex issue that undermines the foundations of justice, fairness, and equality. If you want to address this problem, you can write a “How to Stop Corruption” essay using any of the following topic ideas.

The writing prompts below will provide valuable insights into this destructive phenomenon. Use them to analyze the root causes critically and propose effective solutions.

How to Prevent Corruption Essay Prompt

In this essay, you can discuss various strategies and measures to tackle corruption in society. Explore the impact of corruption on social, political, and economic systems and review possible solutions. Your paper can also highlight the importance of ethical leadership and transparent governance in curbing corruption.

Here are some more ideas to include:

• The role of education and public awareness in preventing corruption. In this essay, you can explain the importance of teaching ethical values and raising awareness about the adverse effects of corruption. It would be great to illustrate your essay with examples of successful anti-corruption campaigns and programs.
• How to implement strong anti-corruption laws and regulations. Your essay could discuss the steps governments should take in this regard, such as creating comprehensive legislation and independent anti-corruption agencies. Also, clarify how international cooperation can help combat corruption.
• Ways of promoting transparency in government and business operations. Do you agree that open data policies, whistleblower protection laws, independent oversight agencies, and transparent financial reporting are effective methods of ensuring transparency? What other strategies can you propose? Answer the questions in your essay.

How to Stop Corruption as a Student Essay Prompt

An essay on how to stop corruption as a student can focus on the role of young people in preventing corruption in their communities and society at large. Describe what students can do to raise awareness, promote ethical behavior, and advocate for transparency and accountability. The essay can also explore how instilling values of integrity and honesty among young people can help combat corruption.

Here’s what else you can talk about:

• How to encourage ethical behavior and integrity among students. Explain why it’s essential for teachers to be models of ethical behavior and create a culture of honesty and accountability in schools. Besides, discuss the role of parents and community members in reinforcing students’ moral values.
• Importance of participating in anti-corruption initiatives and campaigns from a young age. Your paper could study how participation in anti-corruption initiatives fosters young people’s sense of civic responsibility. Can youth engagement promote transparency and accountability?
• Ways of promoting accountability within educational institutions. What methods of fostering accountability are the most effective? Your essay might evaluate the efficacy of promoting direct communication, establishing a clear code of conduct, creating effective oversight mechanisms, holding all members of the educational process responsible for their actions, and other methods.

How to Stop Corruption in India Essay Prompt

In this essay, you can discuss the pervasive nature of corruption in various sectors of Indian society and its detrimental effects on the country’s development. Explore strategies and measures that can be implemented to address and prevent corruption, as well as the role of government, civil society, and citizens in combating this issue.

Your essay may also include the following:

• Analysis of the causes and consequences of corruption in India. You may discuss the bureaucratic red tape, weak enforcement mechanisms, and other causes. How do they affect the country’s development?
• Examination of the effectiveness of existing anti-corruption laws and measures. What are the existing anti-corruption laws and measures in India? Are they effective? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
• Discussion of potential solutions and reforms to curb corruption. Propose practical solutions and reforms that can potentially stop corruption. Also, explain the importance of political will and international cooperation to implement reforms effectively.

Government Corruption Essay Prompt

A government corruption essay can discuss the prevalence of corruption within government institutions and its impact on the state’s functioning. You can explore various forms of corruption, such as bribery, embezzlement, and nepotism. Additionally, discuss their effects on public services, economic development, and social justice.

Here are some more ideas you can cover in your essay:

• The causes and manifestations of government corruption. Analyze political patronage, weak accountability systems, and other factors that stimulate corruption. Additionally, include real-life examples that showcase the manifestations of government corruption in your essay.
• The impact of corruption on public trust and governance. Corruption undermines people’s trust and increases social inequalities. In your paper, we suggest evaluating its long-term impact on countries’ development and social cohesion.
• Strategies and reforms to combat government corruption. Here, you can present and examine the best strategies and reforms to fight corruption in government. Also, consider the role of international organizations and media in advocating for anti-corruption initiatives.

How to Stop Police Corruption Essay Prompt

In this essay, you can explore strategies and reforms to address corruption within law enforcement agencies. Start by investigating the root causes of police corruption and its impact on public safety and trust. Then, propose effective measures to combat it.

Here’s what else you can discuss in your essay:

• The factors contributing to police corruption, such as lack of accountability and oversight. Your paper could research various factors that cause police corruption. Is it possible to mitigate their effect?
• The consequences of police corruption for community relations and public safety. Police corruption has a disastrous effect on public safety and community trust. Your essay can use real-life examples to show how corruption practices in law enforcement undermine their legitimacy and fuel social unrest.
• Potential solutions, such as improved training, transparency, and accountability measures. Can these measures solve the police corruption issue? What other strategies can be implemented to combat the problem? Consider these questions in your essay.

💲 40 Best Topics for Corruption Essay

Another key to a successful essay on corruption is choosing an intriguing topic. There are plenty of ideas to use in your paper. And here are some topic suggestions for your writing:

• What is corruption? An essay should tell the readers about the essentials of this phenomenon. Elaborate on the factors that impact its growth or reduce.
• How to fight corruption ? Your essay can provide ideas on how to reduce the effects of this problem. If you write an argumentative paper, state your arguments, and give supporting evidence. For example, you can research the countries with the lowest corruption index and how they fight with it.
• I say “no” to corruption . This can be an excellent topic for your narrative essay. Describe a situation from your life when you’re faced with this type of wrongdoing.
• Corruption in our country. An essay can be dedicated, for example, to corruption in India or Pakistan. Learn more about its causes and how different countries fight with it.
• Graft and corruption. We already mentioned the definition of graft. Explore various examples of grafts, e.g., using the personal influence of politicians to pressure public service journalists. Provide your vision of the causes of corruption. The essay should include strong evidence.
• Corruption in society. Investigate how the tolerance to “black money” crimes impact economics in developing countries.
• How can we stop corruption ? In your essay, provide suggestions on how society can prevent this problem. What efficient ways can you propose?
• The reasons that lead to the corruption of the police. Assess how bribery impacts the crime rate. You can use a case of Al Capone as supporting evidence.
• Literature and corruption. Choose a literary masterpiece and analyze how the author addresses the theme of crime. You can check a sample paper on Pushkin’s “ The Queen of Spades ”
• How does power affect politicians ? In your essay on corruption and its causes, provide your observations on ideas about why people who hold power allow the grafts.
• Systemic corruption in China. China has one of the strictest laws on this issue. However, crime still exists. Research this topic and provide your observations on the reasons.
• The success of Asian Tigers . Explore how the four countries reduced corruption crime rates. What is the secret of their success? What can we learn from them?
• Lee Kuan Yew and his fight against corruption. Research how Singapore’s legislation influenced the elimination of this crime.
• Corruption in education. Examine the types in higher education institutions. Why does corruption occur?
• Gifts and bribes . You may choose to analyze the ethical side of gifts in business. Can it be a bribe? In what cases?
• Cronyism and nepotism in business. Examine these forms of corruption as a part of Chinese culture.
• Kickbacks and bribery. How do these two terms are related, and what are the ways to prevent them?
• Corporate fraud. Examine the bribery, payoffs, and kickbacks as a phenomenon in the business world. Point out the similarities and differences.
• Anti-bribery compliance in corporations. Explore how transnational companies fight with the misuse of funds by contractors from developing countries.
• The ethical side of payoffs. How can payoffs harm someone’s reputation? Provide your point of view of why this type of corporate fraud is unethical.
• The reasons for corruption of public officials.
• Role of auditors in the fight against fraud and corruption.
• The outcomes of corruption in public administration .
• How to eliminate corruption in the field of criminal justice.
• Is there a connection between corruption and drug abuse ?
• The harm corruption does to the economic development of countries.
• The role of anti-bribery laws in fighting financial crimes.
• Populist party brawl against corruption and graft.
• An example of incorrigible corruption in business: Enron scandal .
• The effective ways to prevent corruption.
• The catastrophic consequences of corruption in healthcare.
• How regular auditing can prevent embezzlement and financial manipulation.
• Correlation between poverty and corruption .
• Unethical behavior and corruption in football business.
• Corruption in oil business: British Petroleum case.
• Are corruption and bribery socially acceptable in Central Asian states?
• What measures should a company take to prevent bribery among its employees?
• Ways to eliminate and prevent cases of police corruption.  
• Gift-giving traditions and corruption in the world’s culture.
• Breaking business obligations: embezzlement and fraud.

These invaluable tips will help you to get through any kind of essay. You are welcome to use these ideas and writing tips whenever you need to write this type of academic paper. Share the guide with those who may need it for their essay on corruption.

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🔗 References

• Public Corruption: FBI, U.S. Department of Justice
• Anti-Corruption and Transparency: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
• United Nations Convention against Corruption: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
• Corruption Essay: Cram
• How to Construct an Essay: Josh May
• Essay Writing: University College Birmingham
• Structuring the Essay: Research & Learning Online
• Insights from U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre: Medium
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5 Essays About Corruption

Internationally, there is no legal definition of corruption, but it includes bribery, illegal profit, abuse of power, embezzlement, and more. Corrupt activities are illegal, so they are discreet and done in secrecy. Depending on how deep the corruption goes, there may be many people aware of what’s going on, but they choose to do nothing because they’ve been bribed or they’re afraid of retaliation. Any system can become corrupt. Here are five essays that explore where corruption exists, its effects, and how it can be addressed.

Learn more about anti-corruption in a free course .

Corruption in Global Health: The Open Secret

Dr. Patricia J. Garcia The Lancet (2019)

In this published lecture, Dr. Garcia uses her experience as a researcher, public health worker, and Minister of Health to draw attention to corruption in health systems. She explores the extent of the problem, its origins, and what’s happening in the present day. Additional topics include ideas on how to address the problem and why players like policymakers and researchers need to think about corruption as a disease. Dr. Garcia states that corruption is one of the most significant barriers to global universal health coverage.

Dr. Garcia is the former Minister of Health of Peru and a leader in global health. She also works as a professor and researcher/trainer in global health, STI/HIV, HPV, medical informatics, and reproductive health. She’s the first Peruvian to be appointed as a member to the United States National Academy of Medicine

‘Are women leaders less corrupt? No, but they shake things up”

Stella Dawson Reuters (2012)

This piece takes a closer look at the idea that more women in power will mean less corruption. Reality is more complicated than that. Women are not less vulnerable to corruption in terms of their resistance to greed, but there is a link between more female politicians and less corruption. The reason appears to be that women are simply more likely to achieve more power in democratic, open systems that are less tolerant of corruption. A better gender balance also means more effective problem-solving. This piece goes on to give some examples of lower corruption in systems with more women and the complexities. While this particular essay is old, newer research still supports that more women in power is linked to better ethics and lower corruption levels into systems, though women are not inherently less corrupt.

Stella Dawson left Reuters in 2015, where she worked as a global editor for economics and markets. At the Thomson Reuters Foundation and 100Reporters, she headed a network of reporters focusing on corruption issues. Dawson has been featured as a commentator for BBC, CNB, C-Span, and public radio.

“Transparency isn’t the solution to corruption – here’s why”

David Riverios Garcia One Young World

Many believe that corruption can be solved with transparency, but in this piece, Garcia explains why that isn’t the case. He writes that governments have exploited new technology (like open data platforms and government-monitoring acts) to appear like they care about corruption, but, in Garcia’s words, “transparency means nothing without accountability.” Garcia focuses on corruption in Latin America, including Paraguay where Garcia is originally from. He describes his background as a young anti-corruption activist, what he’s learned, and what he considers the real solution to corruption.

At the time of this essay’s publication, David Riverios Garcia was an Open Young World Ambassador. He ran a large-scale anti-corruption campaign (reAccion Paraguay), stopping corruption among local high school authorities. He’s also worked on poverty relief and education reform. The Ministry of Education recognized him for his achievements and in 2009, he was selected by the US Department of State as one of 10 Paraguayan Youth Ambassadors.

“What the World Could Teach America About Policing”

Yasmeen Serhan The Atlantic (2020)

The American police system has faced significant challenges with public trust for decades. In 2020, those issues have erupted and the country is at a tipping point. Corruption is rampant through the system. What can be done? In this piece, the author gives examples of how other countries have managed reform. These reforms include first dismantling the existing system, then providing better training. Once that system is off the ground, there needs to be oversight. Looking at other places in the world that have successfully made radical changes is essential for real change in the United States.

Atlantic staff writer Yasmeen Serhan is based in London.

“$2.6 Trillion Is Lost to Corruption Every Year — And It Hurts the Poor the Most”

Joe McCarthy Global Citizen (2018)

This short piece is a good introduction to just how significant the effects of corruption are. Schools, hospitals, and other essential services suffer, while the poorest and most vulnerable society carry the heaviest burdens. Because of corruption, these services don’t get the funding they need. Cycles of corruption erode citizens’ trust in systems and powerful government entities. What can be done to end the cycle?

Joe McCarthy is a staff writer for Global Citizen. He writes about global events and environmental issues.

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

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How Corruption at the Top Erodes Support for Democracy

News of high-level dishonesty and graft can reduce people’s trust in government — and their fellow citizens.

October 25, 2024

People report high levels of dissatisfaction with democracy in countries where corruption is endemic. | iStock/ArtTata

As we near the end of a “mega election” year in which as many as 2 billion people will cast ballots globally, concerns about the health of democracy are growing. Among the most frequently cited threats to democratic systems are increased discontent with political parties, the spread of disinformation, despair about the future, and a shift toward authoritarian and extremist discourse.

Also on the list: corruption. A 2020 global survey found high levels of dissatisfaction with democracy in countries where misgovernance is endemic. In Latin America, a growing share of citizens believe corruption is their country’s top problem, coinciding with eroding faith in democratic institutions.

Although the causal relationship between corruption and democracy’s decline may seem apparent, it is hard to prove empirically. Saumitra Jha , an associate professor of political economy at Stanford Graduate School of Business, teamed up with Eduardo Rivera of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Enrique Seira of Michigan State University to explore the connection. “We confirmed that corruption does have a causal impact on undermining support for democracy, which people express in a variety of ways: trusting government institutions and one another, willingness to volunteer to support electoral agencies, and voting itself,” Jha says.

Their study focused specifically on “apex corruption” — when politicians at the highest levels misuse public office for private gain. Its findings provide a glimpse into how corrosive this type of corruption is as well as ideas for possible antidotes and lessons for countries where democracy seems fragile, including the United States.

Rot at the Top

Jha and his colleagues’ first step was to build a database of high-level corruption scandals in Latin America between 2008 and 2018. A prominent example was Operation Car Wash, the code name of the investigation into a massive bribery and kickback scheme involving major Brazilian companies and politicians.

The researchers also collected surveys about support for democracy and perceptions of corruption during that period. By identifying responses gathered before and after the corruption scandals made headlines, they confirmed that apex corruption reduced trust in democratic institutions and increased preference for authoritarianism. They also found these top-level scandals increased violent protests by 70% and that such effects could linger for several months after the news broke.

The researchers’ next step was a field experiment involving 3,300 people in the Mexican state of Oaxaca during the run-up to the 2021 congressional elections. The region was known as a bastion of support for then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (aka AMLO), who’d won the 2018 elections on an anti-corruption platform. By the time of the congressional elections, though, corruption scandals had hit AMLO’s government and his family members.

Quote The concept of corruption at the top can also give us agency. That means that honesty at the top can also have the reverse effect. Attribution Saumitra Jha

Participants were shown two videos: one featured AMLO’s brother at a restaurant receiving a thick envelope of money from a government official; the second showed senators and leaders of the two main opposition parties exchanging bribes. Surveys showed that the first video had a greater impact on the viewers’ trust in democracy than the second one. The spillover effect of the first video was particularly corrosive: It reduced people’s trust not only in democracy but also in other citizens.

To counter the effects of apex corruption, the researchers showed participants a custom-made video designed to boost their sense of shared identity. It featured stunning images of Mexico’s natural and architectural landmarks, historical events, and famous personalities, guided by a voice-over reminding viewers, “Mexico always rises up because it is indestructible, inevitable, and the hope that is found again and again.”

Yet its message of national pride only went so far. “I found it deeply emotive, and so did my coauthors, who are both from Mexico,” Jha says. “But even though people thought it was a high-quality production, it did not have the expected result of offsetting the effects of apex corruption.”

The researchers tried another possible antidote: exposing people to financial markets to test whether participating in shared economic gains can impact attitudes toward democracy. Participants were offered about $10, of which they could trade a portion weekly to buy stocks in the main Mexican index. Although less than a third of participants agreed to make these trades, this exercise raised their support for democracy, trust in other citizens, and even voter turnout.

Not Just an International Problem

Although many Americans associate corruption with developing countries, research finds that perceptions of widespread government malfeasance are comparable in the United States and Latin America. “I was surprised to see that,” Jha says. “This isn’t talked about in many circles, but this perception carries a political message that resonates with people.”

He notes that Americans increasingly believe that private interests are corrupting democracy, which may be linked to calls by U.S. politicians on both sides of the aisle to “drain the swamp.” Former President Donald Trump based his 2016 platform on this pledge. In 2019, then-House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi promised that Democrats would “drain the swamp of dark-interest money” in Washington, D.C.

Jha is optimistic, however. Just as the study reveals that high-level corruption erodes support for democracy, it also suggests ways to reverse course. “The concept of corruption at the top can also give us agency,” he explains. “That means that honesty at the top can also have the reverse effect. If we see leaders, whether they are elected or not, being explicitly honest and supporting honest business practices, their prominence can change the equilibrium.”

For media inquiries, visit the Newsroom .

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August 28, 2023 Another Payoff From Trading Stocks: Reducing Political Polarization An experiment shows that investing — even when unprofitable — can be a lesson in building trust.

November 22, 2022 Navigating Corruption: A Case Study from India In the face of corruption in India, wise business leaders must decide what is negotiable — and what isn’t.

September 27, 2024 Back to Class: Managing Risk and Reputation in a Complex World How to navigate bad publicity, corrupt governments — and the water cup of shame.

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What Contributes to the Corruption? Essay

Introduction, factors contributing to corruption, reference list.

Corruption is the abuse or misuse of public resources, power and or office for financial or other personal gains. It is the use of illegal and illegitimate means to acquire advantage in private or public positions. Corrupt people lack the virtues of integrity, honesty and moral principle.

Corruption has greatly increased in the world since the late 80s and the early 90s with many post-communist countries being greatly affected. There has been a lot of debate on the causes of corruption and factors that have led to its spread and increase around the world.

Neo-liberalism and corruption

One of the major factors that contributed to the apparent rise and spread of corruption and which is a subject of debate is neo-liberalism which started in the 1970s and the 1980s. Neo-liberalism is mainly about promoting free markets and trade, competition, consumption, reduction state regulation, control and other roles, more importance is placed on the end than the means.

There is lack of conceptuality and less emphasis on the rule of law in most corrupt societies where the process of liberalization has led to the weakening and delegitimizing of state powers and control. There have been many arguments about the relationship between neo-liberal measures and policies of free trade and investment and corruption especially in post-communist countries (Holmes, 1999).

Neo-liberalism has been highly credited with economic growth and increased investment; it is seen as an important factor for development in many countries.

However as globalization takes effect and local and international enterprises compete for new markets and business ventures, corruption practices are inevitable. There are restrictions, obstacles and barriers within bureaucratic systems of countries and international markets that can lead to these practices.

International quarters and trade tariffs which lead to varying prices of goods and other special treatments can lead to enterprises bribing in order to take advantage.

According to Williams and Beare (1999), the administration of exemptions and restrictions within countries involves complex and complicated procedures and only bureaucracies can perform such duties as a result this can encourage corruption practices in government offices.

Although there are organizations and agencies which act as watch dogs, without regulation and follow up, a lot can still be done to reduce the spread of this vice. The systems of corruption form a big web which includes local and international participants and it is hard to completely trace its course especially in developing countries, where efforts of fighting corruption are underfunded and not taken seriously.

Another factor that leads to corruption in most developing economies is poverty. The prevalence of poverty leads to lack of education, health and other basic necessities. This means that poor people do not have knowledge of their rights they are not aware of the responsibilities of the authorities.

Most of them are apathetic toward economic and social developments in their countries because they have to first deal with their own domestic challenges.

In many communities where public infrastructure and service delivery is extremely poor, mushrooming of the private enterprise leads to the exploitation of the meager resources of the poor as they seek better services especially in the health and education sectors. For example a doctor in a public health center receives salary every end of the month but only comes on appointment because he has his own private clinic (Das, 2006).

Most corrupt practices in poor countries take place without anyone reporting, either because nobody realizes it happening or people have the will to stop it but they are not strong enough to face the forces behind the vice.

The debate on the factors that lead to corruption and the ways through which it can be controlled continue across the world.

Measures that have been taken include controlling of the flow of foreign investment and the reduction or complete withdrawal of aid from developing countries that have corrupt systems. National and International media together with monitoring agencies like Transparency International have also played a big role on exposing corruption.

Das, R. (2006) Poverty and hunger: causes and consequences . New Delhi: Sarup and Sons.

Holmes, L. (1999) ‘Corruption, weak states and economic rationalism in Central and Eastern Europe’, Central European University Joint Conference on Corruption. Princeton University, Budapest , Hungary. Web.

Williams, J. and Beare, M. (1999) The business of bribery: globalization, economic liberalization and the “problem” of corruption’, crime, law and social change . New York, NY: Taylor and Francis.

• Article Synopsys on Public Administration
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• “Neo-Liberalism as a Creative Destruction” by Harvey
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• Effective Hazard Mitigation
• Summary of Article on Public Administration
• Review on the Discipline of Public Administration
• Developing and Effectuating Government Policies
• Public Administration
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Home — Essay Samples — Government & Politics — Corruption — Corruption: Causes, Effects, And Ways To Prevent

Corruption: Causes, Effects, and Ways to Prevent

• Categories: Corruption

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Words: 1931 |

10 min read

Published: Dec 3, 2020

Words: 1931 | Pages: 4 | 10 min read

Works Cited

• Altbach, P. G., Reisberg, L., & Rumbley, L. E. (2019). Trends in global higher education: Tracking an academic revolution. UNESCO Publishing.
• Gupta, K., & Batra, A. (2015). Corruption and economic growth: A global perspective. International Journal of Development Research, 5(5), 4363-4367.
• Jain, A. K. (2001). Corruption: A review. Journal of Economic Surveys, 15(1), 71-121.
• Klitgaard, R. (1988). Controlling corruption. University of California Press.
• Kwantes, C. T., Boglarsky, C. A., & Pancer, S. M. (2006). The effect of culture on unethical conduct. Social Science Journal, 43(2), 295-300.
• Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. (2016). Rasuah: Apa itu Rasuah? [Corruption: What is Corruption?]. https://www.sprm.gov.my/ms/pengetahuan-am/rasuah
• Mungiu-Pippidi, A. (2015). The quest for good governance: How societies develop control of corruption. Cambridge University Press.
• 15 effects of corruption. (2019). University of Kent. https://www.kent.ac.uk/integrityoffice/policies-and-procedures/bribery-and-corruption/preventing-corruption/15-effects-of-corruption
• 5 ways to reduce corruption and places where it exists. (2016). The Star Online. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/09/12/five-ways-to-reduce-corruption-and-places-where-it-exists/
• Transparency International. (n.d.). Corruption perceptions index.

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Essay on Corruption: Causes & its Effects

The term “corruption” can refer to both individual acts of dishonesty or fraud as well as systemic issues like bribery. There are many symptoms of corruption, but it can be difficult to identify its root causes. Corruption thrives on secrecy and the absence of accountability. This essay on corruption will explore the causes of corruption and its overall effect.

What is corruption?

The word corruption has a number of synonyms. These describe the way that corruption can take different forms, ranging from small to large, and the effects it can have on all aspects of life.

A corrupt act includes an attempted or actual breach of the law, but the crime is committed to further personal advantage or gain for the perpetrator or corruptible person.

Corruption is now thought to be one of the most significant challenges facing our societies today. It contributes to poverty and lack of opportunity by creating barriers that prevent individuals from being able to access services, support networks, benefits and other opportunities that are available to others who are not corrupt.

Corruption can be done legally or illegally; as long as it proceeds or has an ulterior motive or results in money or goods being taken from an organization or individual by a third party who is not entitled to them.

Types of corruption

Corruption is the abuse of power, position, or resources to gain an unjust or illegal advantage for oneself or someone else.

Corruption can take many forms. It can be thoughts of greed; it can be taking bribes; it can be a misappropriation of public funds; it can be nepotism, and it can even be lying about the true nature of the product.

The most common type of corruption is bribery, which is when someone offers another person money or goods in order to get them to do something that benefits them.

Fraud is another form of corruption. It is a corrupt act that includes an attempt to gain an advantage or personal benefit by deception. This is also known as “unlawful gain”.

The causes of corruption

The most obvious way that corruption is detrimental to society is through theft, extortion, and bribery. Every society has some form of crime, but with corruption, the problem is magnified.

Because of its effects on individuals and society, corruption has evolved as human nature. It is considered to be a trait that occurs in both humans and animals. Corruption is evident throughout society because it is practiced by everyone from the local merchant to the political leader.

However, the most harmful form of corruption is in the sphere of political power. This stems from the fact that corruption can occur in various walks of life, from individuals to corporations. Even the institution of government allows for some level of corruption, but it is not one that is common in government.

The effects of corruption

Corruption is one of the most common problems in the world. It is a major barrier to development, democracy, and human rights. It fuels crime, reduces economic growth, and destroys public trust in political institutions. It prevents investment, produces poverty, and undermines basic government functions.

Corruption distorts the allocation of resources, undermines the rule of law, diminishes civic participation, erodes the quality of public services, and erodes faith in public institutions.

Corrupt practices can take place within any number of activities. For example, tax evasion and tax avoidance. A significant portion of tax revenues is lost to tax avoidance and tax evasion in many countries. Intentional tax avoidance is the concealment of income or expenses that would be reported in tax returns.

An example is the double-dealing that often goes on in the real estate market. The rules that should be enforced against this type of activity are not properly enforced.

Corruption has dire consequences for the economy

Corruption hurts economic growth in several ways. First, it diverts resources from the poor to the rich and exacerbates inequality.

Think of bribery to get a construction permit. All the poor need is a building permit to start a business, but they’re more likely to pay off the person who owns the building permit and he’ll be even more likely to give the permit to a business they can’t afford to compete with.

Corruption also restricts free competition because businesses are reluctant to outbid each other when their goal is to keep as much of the market share as possible. As a result, corruption creates a winner-takes-all environment in which a handful of businesses are able to reap the rewards.

Ways to combat corruption

There are numerous ways to combat corruption. At the national level, these are implemented by government organizations.

At the local level, they are implemented by those who maintain public service in government departments or agencies.

Governments can reduce the size of the government and put more resources into programs that benefit the people. They can also increase the salaries of government employees and employees of government-funded agencies. These increases in spending will create incentives for government employees to do their jobs well.

Another way is to encourage transparency in all public institutions by displaying all their financial and non-financial data on public websites.

Corruption is an undeniable part of today’s culture. It can be seen every day, in many different forms. However, no matter how big or small a contribution it may be, it’s always going to be a problem.

It can do irreparable damage to the fabric of society. This is because it takes away power from those who have earned it, and places it into the hands of those who have not.

Corruption is something that can be learned. That’s why the people who dedicate themselves to improving it in their communities are always in demand.

Corruption has been around since the beginning of time. And unfortunately, corruption will continue to exist until people are more conscious about what they’re doing and how they’re living their lives.

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