Corruption and Poverty

Corruption is somewhat like HIV/AIDS when it comes to poverty - it is difficult to tell which causes which. In the end, as with AIDS, it is a combination of both: people are more likely to fall into poverty because of corruption, and corruption deepens the poverty that impoverished people are living in.

In the news, most corruption cases involve large sums of money, and the government officials invovled are generally very high-ranking. While this type of corruption - 'grand corruption' - is a problem in developing countries (it takes money away from public service projects such as medical clinics, food programs, and schools that would otherwise benefit the poor), impoverished individuals are most affected by corruption on a smaller scale - 'petty corruption.'

This type of corruption occurs on a very local level, and usually small things: bribes to policemen to keep a roadside stand open, or a 'fee' that comes up while applying for a free driver's license. While the amount of money involved is generally very small, many poor people cannot afford to pay, driving them deeper and deeper into debt and poverty.

Another problem is that the corrupt officials (such as a policeman taking bribes) are often not all that bad. In many developing countries, especially in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, bribes are the only way to accomplish anything. Also, many people accepting bribes must do so because their base salary is not enough for them to support themselves and their family. It is interesting to think about ways to curb corruption in places where it has such a foothold - where corruption is a way of life.