by Dr Rafi Ramzan Dar
Authorities grow arrogant, while the common masses suffer the most.
International Anti-Corruption Day, observed annually on 9 December, serves as a reminder of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, adopted on 31 October 2003. The day aims to raise public awareness about the evils of corruption.
To comprehend the magnitude of this issue, it is essential to understand what corruption entails. In its most basic sense, corruption refers to the undue favour or behaviour exhibited by those in positions of authority, contravening established norms and guidelines. This abuse of entrusted power for personal gain can manifest in various forms, including bribery, embezzlement, fraud, and nepotism.
Corruption has become an insidious part of human routine, often undertaken for trivial gains or as a courtesy. History has borne witness to the downfall of mighty nations that have indulged in corrupt practices. The corrupting influence of power has been exacerbated by the lure of wealth, muscle, and women, ultimately leading to the demise of empires, their rulers, military generals, bureaucrats, political leaders, and even religious figures.
The most pressing concern is that, by engaging in corrupt practices, we abandon all semblance of legality, education, ethics, intellect, and morality. We momentarily forget the humane values inherent to us all. Our conscience is silenced, and we become unethical, arrogant, and cruel in pursuit of our objectives, disregarding the merit, qualifications, and tireless efforts of others.
By involving ourselves in this menace, we not only crush the hopes of thousands of aspirants but also become integral components of a vicious cycle of corruption. This cycle perpetuates mass unemployment, frustration, depression, and suicidal tendencies among the youth. Furthermore, it fuels grave crimes such as dacoities and murders, exacerbates drug addiction, and fosters deep social unrest, ultimately giving rise to further corruption.
For those who engage in corrupt practices, it may seem a trivial matter. However, for the victims, the experience is devastating. It is as if the sky has fallen, shattering their hopes and raising doubts about their efforts and hard-earned achievements. The consequences are severe, reducing their prospects to nothing and inviting suspicion about their intellect, calibre, and will to succeed honestly.
The insidious effects of corruption are evident in the degradation of our institutions. These institutions are inundated with underqualified and non-meritorious individuals, rendering our bureaucracies and leadership ineffective. The markets are flooded with substandard products and adulterated goods.
The medical profession is not immune to the corrupting influence. Doctors often prioritise their private clinics, where patients queue to receive cheap medicines promoted by the doctors’ shareholder agencies. The judiciary is also compromised, with courtrooms becoming mere witness boxes for deceit and injustice.
Society as a whole suffers, as corruption breeds immorality, vice, and violence. The consequences of such practices are catastrophic, permeating every segment of society. Meritorious and genuine aspirants are driven to abandon their pursuits, disillusioned by the favouritism shown to privileged individuals. Meanwhile, market players are forced to withdraw, unable to navigate the corrupt and collapsing economy.
The culmination of these factors is a bleak socio-economic, geo-political, and psychological landscape. Hopelessness pervades, unemployment and injustice become the norm, and inept individuals occupy positions of power. This, in turn, leads to the formulation of ineffective policies that benefit none. Authorities grow arrogant, while the common masses suffer the most.
The consequences of this scenario are far-reaching. The trade, commerce, banking, and financial sectors become laboratories for untested and unskilled experiments, resulting in inflation, declining exports, low GDP, and a regressive balance of payments, as well as a falling per capita income.
The question of how to eradicate corruption in all its forms is a pressing one. The answer lies in individual and collective efforts, which must be undertaken and ingrained in daily life. It is essential to be ethically sound and morally strong. Transparency must be given a chance to prevail, and efforts must be made to establish and promote it. Although this may seem a daunting task initially, it is essential to remember that all significant achievements begin with a single step.
To succeed, honesty, justice, and merit must be given a chance to prevail in every circumstance. Selfishness must be avoided at all costs. Integrity and a sense of fair play must become guiding principles in all aspects of life. Ultimately, government agencies, institutions, and political leadership must become fair, transparent, and unbiased to eradicate the menace of corruption from society once and for all.
(The author teaches Geography at GDC Anantnag. Ideas are personal.)
