How to prevent political corruption - Stephanie Honchell Smith
On October 23, 2015, Mcebisi Jonas,
South Africa’s deputy finance minister,
faced a harrowing, yet enticing, decision.
He had thought he was attending
a normal business meeting
but ended up in the home
of the powerful Gupta family,
sitting with the Gupta brothers
and the president, Jacob Zuma’s, son.
Jonas was offered a promotion
and $45 million.
In return, he would be expected
to use his position
to advance the Gupta’s
many business interests.
This included firing officials
who opposed the construction
of new power plants,
which were slated to run on fuel
from Gupta-owned mines.
The deal was simple—
but would Jonas accept?
This kind of corruption in politics
is nothing new.
It plagued the ancient world—
the “Arthasastra,”
an Indian political treatise
that dates back to the 3rd century BCE,
lists 40 types of embezzlement alone.
So, what exactly is corruption,
and what can we do to combat it?
Corruption is often defined as a misuse
of a position of power for personal gain.
For example, this could be a city clerk
accepting bribes
in exchange for issuing permits;
or a mayor appointing a campaign donor
to an influential position.
But corruption isn’t limited
to the political sphere;
it can happen in schools, sports,
businesses, or religious institutions.
In ancient Greece,
the power-hungry Alcmaeonid family
notoriously bribed the priestesses
at Delphi to deliver false prophecies,
like telling the Spartans
they should invade Athens.
It may seem like all corruption
is driven by greed,
but individual motives are often complex.
There can be economic drivers,
like family pressure
on an underpaid civil servant
who exaggerates his expenses
to get more money back.
This might not seem like a big problem,
but corruption can snowball.
If anti-corruption laws aren’t enforced,
or if loopholes are
continuously exploited,
a larger culture of corruption can emerge.
For example, in 2009,
numerous British MPs were exposed
for using taxpayer money
to cover personal expenses,
from home renovations to luxury purchases,
and even having a moat cleaned.
And corruption isn't always
directly about money.
In 2016, a Department of Justice
investigation found widespread patterns
of unconstitutional policing,
abuse, and corruption
within the Baltimore Police Department.
In just one elite task force,
eight officers were convicted of crimes,
including planting evidence
and robbing citizens during traffic stops.
Corruption like this causes people
to lose faith in government
and can deplete much needed resources.
The more taxpayer money
that goes into people’s pockets,
the less there is to spend on services
that benefit the community—
like repairing roads, building schools,
or providing healthcare.
In the case of South Africa,
the Gupta family plundered billions
of dollars from the country’s funds
through their wide-ranging
corruption schemes,
devastating the nation's economy.
In Baltimore, the police department cost
taxpayers more than $22 million
in court settlements
and gravely eroded public trust.
So, how can we prevent corruption?
While it’s important that laws set
a high price for corrupt behavior,
punishment is only one piece
of the puzzle.
Transparency in terms of budget
and paper trails
and support for freedom of the press
are hugely important.
In Botswana, the government
has built public trust
through their ongoing commitment
to respond to corruption
openly, quickly, and decisively.
In Denmark, government ministers must
publish monthly reports
cataloging their spending
on entertainment,
official travel,
and any gifts they’ve received.
As citizens, we can vote out those
who engage in corruption
and question officials who push
back against transparency measures.
And we can stand up against corruption
when we see it.
In South Africa,
Jonas refused the Guptas’ offer,
and despite threats against his life,
spoke out,
exposing a sprawling web of corruption
that toppled Zuma’s regime,
and sent the Gupta family into exile.
But it wasn’t just Jonas’ revelation
that mattered.
Once the scale of corruption
was unearthed,
everyday South Africans
took to the streets,
insisting that “Zuma must fall.”
By using our civic voices,
we can fight back to ensure
that tax dollars don’t line pockets,
but instead benefit everyone.
