Ignorance as a Defense for Corruption
How does corruption thrive and what will it take for the anti-corruption agencies to break the cycle? This is a question that is difficult to answer. Temptation and greed are two of the aspects that fuel corruption, they are human characteristics and therefore, just a bit unpredictable. They need permissiveness in order to thrive. In a system without a set and honest order of checks and balances in place, without a standard policy of the use of a suspicious activity report, wherein the distribution of wealth remains out of balance and where the decision making process is clouded in obscurity, corruption will flourish.
In many countries and societies today, even in those locations where the systems…economic, social and legal…are deeply entrenched, corruption is alive, and not only alive, but well. Those who argue that the fight against towards corruption can not be won, are just stating the age old dilemma of one side versus the other, the north versus the south or the Hatfields versus the McCoys. This is a thought process that over-simplifies the issues. Some will say that corruption in the form of bribery, such as gift giving, is just a mis-understanding between two different cultures.
This is perhaps a valid argument, were it not for the fact that everything, about every culture, every aspect and every norm can simply be looked up on the Internet, the claimed ignorance or mis-understandings makes the mind reel. Yes, values and customs and norms are culture specific, but really, ethics and morality must play a part. Each member of a culture is well aware of what is not only acceptable, but what is transparently honest behavior. Regardless of cultural differences.
These differences are what prompted the formation of the Transparency International organization. IT states that members of a society know what is customary to their own culture, and they know the kinds of actions that violate those customs. These ‘differences’ can no longer be the defense in an argument where corruption is concerned. And the formation of such anti-corruption organizations is one way to set about a comprehensive understanding among those from different societies, from different cultures.