The Concept of Corruption in United States Essay Example
The Concept of Corruption in United States Essay Example

The Concept of Corruption in United States Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (980 words)
  • Published: September 29, 2021
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Corruption encompasses the unfair or dishonest acquisition of something through illegal methods. Various forms of corruption include corporate, grand, systematic, and political corruption.

Furthermore, apart from these, there exist additional forms of corruption known as petty and administrative corruption. Corruption can be triggered by various factors such as low and irregular salaries, inadequate and ineffective controls, and accessibility to the means of engaging in corrupt activities.

Corruption in public life is on the rise and has a significant impact. Those engaged in corruption use tactics to hide their misdeeds and assign responsibility to others. Their motivation is personal gain rather than the welfare of the nation, seeking advantages and positions of power for themselves. When comparing America's political and financial actions to those typically associated with countries in the global south, it becomes clear that America exc

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eeds them in terms of corruption. The substantial economic value produced by its economy each year serves as undeniable evidence of its corrupt practices worldwide.

According to Bonell (PG 231), political campaigns are carried out in a manner that involves bribery, leading to politicians failing to represent the people as expected. They can be influenced to reduce regulations in industries like banking, thereby leading to corruption within the democracy itself. This political corruption has paved the way for financial corruption.

The increasing corruption in the US is evident through the lack of prosecution of those responsible for the 2008 economic crisis. In addition, the military budget surpasses that of twelve other significant nations, with a substantial portion allocated to non-defense services. The privatization of prisons in the country has a direct connection to corrupting the system as it enables unethical profit-making. Moreover

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wealthy individuals hold influence over politicians by offering bribes to reduce their tax rates.

The National Security Agency's domestic surveillance is viewed as a form of corruption, potentially involving insider trading and other corrupt practices. Insider trading pertains to the purchase and sale of stocks based on privileged knowledge of upcoming government policy. Moreover, monetary corruption has permeated the media system.

The US is lagging behind in addressing the urgent and alarming need to reduce carbon emissions, thanks to its leading role in corruption. Politicians are frequently mocked for their ignorant stance on climate change while traveling internationally. This situation has reached a point where citizens are paying for services that should be universally available. Grand corruption refers to the high-level disruption of established policies and distortion of the government's central functioning.

The text discusses various forms of corruption, including petty corruption, political corruption, and corporate corruption. Petty corruption refers to abuse of power by public officers at the middle level and involves small amounts of money. Political corruption involves decision makers in the politics sector manipulating policies and procedural rules to maintain power and status. It also includes election malpractices and kleptocracy. Corporate corruption occurs when businesses interact with customers or suppliers in a corrupt manner.

Leaders can achieve benefits by utilizing a company's resources, leading to systematic corruption where corruption prevails within state institutions and their processes. Administrative corruption involves bribery aimed at granting businesses advantages such as lower taxes and easier access to procurement contracts. There are several types of police corruption within a state.

The types of police corruption include internal corruption, accepting bribes, brutality, and accepting gratuities. Accepting gratuities and bribes is the most prevalent

form of police corruption, which can encompass activities as minor as accepting discounts. Brutality frequently involves acts of violence.

Internal corruption involves the act of offering bribes to gain promotions, as individuals believe it is the only way to achieve their goals. Consequently, corruption has become more prevalent over time and has had negative effects on affected communities. These impacts include poor service quality, lack of justice, higher unemployment rates, pollution, inadequate health measures, accidents, and obstacles to genuine research.

Corruption practices result in a prevalence of improper justice. Investigation procedures within the police department have been affected by this issue for many years. Some institutions attempt to bribe the inspectors responsible for granting permits. If these inspectors were to refuse the bribes, there would be a decrease in unemployment cases. Such states also suffer from higher rates of health problems as the involved leaders do not manage resources efficiently, prioritizing their personal gains instead. Additionally, this can lead the government to take control of industries that release harmful substances into the environment, causing various types of pollution.

The access to driving licenses without taking the necessary tests has led to an increase in accidents. Additionally, it has had specific impacts on society (Elliott, PG 654). These include: a lack of regard for official foreign investments, a lack of respect for leaders, a loss of faith and trust in governments, and a reluctance to take on positions associated with corruption. People start speaking negatively about leaders involved in these unethical activities, resulting in diminished respect for them. Furthermore, citizens may even refrain from voting for these corrupt officials.

Corruption has diverse impacts on the economy. It can result in

a decrease in foreign investments as investors are deterred by these situations. The pursuit of illegal gains and other unlawful advantages causes delays in clearance processes by responsible officials. Consequently, this leads to delays in the growth of industries and investments. Additionally, it can hinder companies from establishing a presence in these areas, thus impeding developmental progress in those regions. Therefore, corruption disrupts economic advancement. To address this pervasive issue, it is crucial to implement efficient and standardized measures aimed at curbing disguised corruption cases and promoting the development of nations.

It will also lead to peace and unity as there will be fair treatment in every sector of all aspects of life. (Elliott, PG 654)

REFERENCES

  • Bonell, Michael J, and Olaf Meyer. The Impact of Corruption on International Commercial Contracts., 2015. Internet resource.
  • Elliott, Kimberley A. Corruption and Global Economy. Washington, DC, 2007. Print.
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