Curruption

Corruption is not a new phenomenon. It has always been there. In the past, traders used to bribe royal servants in order to have an easy access to the King’s court. In ancient China, the rich people who were sentenced to hanging for serious crimes would even tempt the poor to stand in their place. Several such instances can be mentioned to show that corruption has been with us since time immemorial.

So is it possible to eradicate corruption? The truth is that such a question doesn’t rise at all. It is merely idealistic to visualize a world free of corruption. No, I am not being cynical. In my opinion all that we can do is to try to minimize corruption as it has assumed gigantic proportions today. In many parts of the world multi-million dollar scams have become the order of the day. Very often, the culprits behind such scams go scot-free, whereas a poor government official who accepts a bribe of a paltry sum is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment.

So what can we do to minimize corruption? Corruption isn’t the disease: it is merely a symptom. It indicates that values are disappearing from the society. If we are really serious about minimizing corruption, we must try and inculcate the right values in our people. Schools and colleges should teach morals and ethics. It will be advisable to incorporate moral education as part of the curriculum in schools and colleges. Children who are taught moral values at a young age will grow into honest and dignified citizens. This will go a long way in minimizing corruption from public life. Eradication of corruption is an unrealistic ideal; it is neither practical nor pragmatic.