Question.
What are the challenges of corruption? What steps should be taken according to you to prevent them from society? Explain
( UPPSC, UP PCS Mains General Studies-4/Ethics 2018)
Answer.
Corruption means the misuse of public power to gain personal benefits; the major forms of corruption are bribery, fraud, and nepotism.
Corruption is a major challenge that affects societies, undermines economic growth, weakens democratic institutions, and erodes public trust in government. Some of the challenges of corruption include-
- Inequality and poverty
- Cultural impunity
- Undermining the rule of law
- Lack of transparency
Inequality and poverty: Corruption often increases inequality and poverty as it leads to unequal distribution of resources, richer get richer and the poor get poorer. Corruption creates a cycle of poverty and widens social and economic inequality.
Cultural impunity: Corrupt practices in society may convey that corruption is acceptable. This can lead to a culture of impunity, where corrupt practices become normalized. It erodes the social and political fabric of society and increases injustices.
Undermining the rule of law: Corruption in society also undermines the rule of law as corrupt officials may use their power and influence to bend the rules in their favor or protect themselves from prosecution.
Lack of transparency: Corruption remains in those societies that lack transparency and accountability.
To prevent corruption in society, several steps should be taken, some of the steps are-
- Promoting a culture of integrity
- Improving governance and public administration
- Strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks
- Building public awareness and participation
- Strengthening international cooperation
Promoting a culture of integrity: Corruption in society can be prevented by promoting ethical behaviors and values in public servants, people, and other institutions.
Improving governance and public administration: Effective and efficient governance and public administration can help prevent corruption. This may include streamlining bureaucratic processes and increasing public participation.
Strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks: Strong laws and regulations prevent corruption. These should include measures to increase transparency and accountability.
Building public awareness and Participation: Building public awareness and participation can help to expose corruption and hold officials accountable.
Strengthening international cooperation: Corruption is a global problem and international cooperation is necessary to prevent it. This includes sharing information and best practices, mutual legal assistance, and cooperation in investigations and prosecutions.
In conclusion, preventing corruption requires a multidimensional effort from all sectors of society including government, civil society, private sector, and individuals.
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