Corruption Begins With Anonymous People
It has become common for people to complain about corruption. The lack of decency we see in powerful people, especially politicians, can surprise us and never end. Every day we see new cases on the news, and many of us feel that what we hear is just the tip of the iceberg.
Corruption harms society. Essentially, it is a breach of the covenant at the heart of any civilization: the law. It is also a malicious act, as all the other members of society become passive victims of the harm it causes. Worst of all, many corrupt people steal money they do not even need. They seem to be mostly motivated by the antisocial joy of taking advantage of others.
All this is a source of indignation. But there is another type of corruption people do not talk much about. It is corruption that ordinary citizens participate in, albeit to a lesser extent.
Law and corruption
The law describes a series of commands that impose boundaries and obligations on everyone who is a member of a society. You may disagree with the law. In fact, it is one of the great forces driving history: the debate over what the law should say. New laws stem from such arguments. Sometimes new and old promises also mix to create something else.
When you disagree with the law, there are mechanisms to challenge it. These range from civil disobedience to revolutions and political debates. No one must follow the law blindly. But unless the personal consequences are very serious, the best option is to obey the law while it is still in force.
Corruption occurs when there is a system of obligations that runs parallel and separately from what the law says. This system, unlike the legal one, is aimed at a person’s benefit. It completely ignores the benefits of society.
Under this system, anything that provides a personal gain is legal. Other people are not equal if their rights must be respected. Instead, they become either a means or an obstacle. As such, they do not count. The goal of corruption is basically to achieve individual benefit.
Citizens and corruption
An important question we can ask ourselves is whether only politicians or people in power act according to this philosophy of seeking personal gain regardless of how it may affect the rights of others. In that regard, if you think about some everyday situations you will see that many people operate under the same principles of corruption. For them, the best way to live by the law is not for the common good. Instead, they prioritize their own advantage.
What instead dominates in life is individualism. In some societies, some people take this to extremities. Laws basically become meaningless words. Instead, the new standards in society are defined by the least conscientious members. People tend to follow the law only when someone is watching. Corruption invades lives from small actions such as sneaking in line or exploiting friendships to enjoy a privilege.
Society’s tolerance
Maybe that’s why the great acts of corruption continue. Society tolerates these actions instead of condemning them because people can use them as examples of their own behavior. Or society just sits back and becomes a passive witness to all this. Society simply does not want to make things more difficult by trying to intervene and set boundaries.
Beyond the economic or political damage caused by corruption, the way this phenomenon corrodes culture is the worst. Social bonds deteriorate due to corruption. Trust is destroyed. The feeling of power begins to disappear.
When this happens, civilized behavior becomes optional. In practice, the strongest law is the one in force. However, corruption turns society into disorganized hordes that move in random directions.
