Corruption

1. Corruption In the Post-Communist World.

2. What is “Corruption?” • 1.guilty of dishonest practices, as bribery; lacking integrity; crooked: a corrupt judge. • 2.debased in character; depraved; perverted; wicked; evil: a corrupt society. • 3.made inferior by errors or alterations, as a text. • 4.infected; tainted. • 5.decayed; putrid. –verb (used with object) • 6.to destroy the integrity of; cause to be dishonest, disloyal, etc., esp. by bribery*. • 7.to lower morally; pervert: to corrupt youth. • Some people confuse “Corruption” with “Bribery,” but bribery is only one form of corruption.

3. Does everyone agree? • In Latin America, for instance, the countries inherited the “patronage” system from Spain and Portugal in the 1500s. Subjectivity? • The US was influenced by the British attitude of a detached civil service between government and the people.

4. In the USA • We feel that the main way to keep corruption under control is to keep the system open. • Free Press, Free Elections. • Stern penalties • It swings in different eras.

5. What is “Corruption?” (2) In the eyes of some, the USA is a "corrupt society" and therefore becomes a subject of terrorism • It is any action designed to win favor for an individual against the rules set down by society. • Often it is a “perversion” of justice—which we sometimes call “getting around the law.” • Sometimes, an entire system is corrupt in the sense that it proclaims one set of values, and follows another. Communism and elitism fit this picture. The rules do not apply to me.

6. What was Corruption under Communism? “Communism is the ownership and control, by the state, of the means of production and distribution” “From each according to his ability; to each according to his need.” • First, what is “Communism,” or, more correctly, “Marxism.” • It is a form of social engineering working through the total control of the economy. • It is premised on the idea that capitalism is inherently divisive, polarizing, and dehumanizing. • So, the State takes over the economy (and the society) There is no market to bring together supply and demand; nor to set price. All this must be done by the state, which controls what is made and grown, and how and where it is sold.

7. So what form did corruption take? • There was, of course, the most familiar form of corruption—bribery, because you had to get around the state system to promote your own wants or interests: e.g. the “furniture racket;” Being advanced on the waiting list for apartments, cars and everything else.

8. What was the key? The great c19 Russian author Gogol wrote a satirical play about “The Inspector General” in which, just about everyone is corrupt. This was about the only type of criticism that was permitted. • Basically, in a hyper-bureaucratic state like the USSR, a lot of bribery and corruption resulted from the vast amount of regulation that controlled everything. • But, this was nothing new. • The Tsarist Empire had the same sort of total, central control and opportunities for abusing petty power.

9. What happened when Communism collapsed? • First of all, after several generations, these countries have developed a “culture of corruption.” • That means it was expected, and had become bad, but “normal.” • Most people never expected this to change; that’s how “life is.” You have to remember that people in public office, however small, were expected to serve the Party, not the people. Loyalty to the party, and not the people, was rewarded. So, there was not much pressure to be straight with the people you “served.” There was, as far as the public was concerned, no “accountability.” Since opposition to Communism was not allowed, it is easy to see how such a control system can be (a) exploited, (b) corrupted. There is no “free press” to expose what is happening.

10. The “Reward System.” • Since the accumulation of goods and wealth was not encouraged, those who worked well were rewarded with medals, their names were put up in factories, they earned vacations etc. • The accumulation of wealth was not the object, as it would be so conspicuous. It was about power and control.

11. Why Did Communism Fail? • Not accountable, so impersonal • Monopolistic, so potential for corruption, and miserable quality • Loyalty replaces ability • Obsession with dogma and procedures • Almost totally centralized, remote. • Rightness of system leads to cynical posturing—alienation of people • Stresses conformity and procedures

12. Problems for Transition • Obstructionism was important because it created the barriers that provided the opportunity for corruption. Reform would directly threaten the capacity for functionaries to obstruct, and take bribes. • The system had been totally politicized, and now has to be depoliticized, even though it was selected for its loyalty to the former system. An issue of psychosis.

13. Problems for Transition 2 • In transition, we tend to focus on reform of (a) the market, (b) the Political System. • This leaves the bureaucracy unreformed. • But they are the arm of government that the people see every day. If they are not changed, then the reform is not “real” to the public.

14. The Remedy One effective method of fighting corruption, and making governments “get serious” is to publicize their effectiveness. “Transparency International” does this annually, and you can see that the states of the former USSR vary enormously. And this poster, this time from Moldova, does not need any explanation either. This is a poster from Lithuania. No words are needed. • Strict reform of the Public Service (Civil Service Act) • Advancement by qualification and result • Strict justice for those bending the system (but that requires reform of the Judicial System itself) • Professionalization.

15. Institutions • Many countries have created government departments specifically to fight corruption, and “hot lines” for reporting it. This is an anti-corruption poster from the government of the Republic of Georgia. But, apart from the offenders, it is necessary to change the entire culture of the “inevitability” of corruption.