In this article, we discussed the impact of bribery and corruption in government, the causes of corruption and the consequences.<\/p>\n
Definition<\/strong><\/p>\n Corruption <\/strong>is a comprehensive set of crimes that involve \u201cthe abuse of commended power for private gain.\u201d Some of these crimes are common, and unwillingly accepted as just the price of doing business. Others actively stifle competition and subvert the free market.<\/p>\n Corruption can happen anywhere such as in business, government,<\/a> the courts, the media, and in civil society, as well as across all sectors from health and education to infrastructure and sports. It can involve anyone, for example politicians, government officials, public servants, businesspeople or members of the public. Examples of corruption can include:<\/p>\n Politicians misusing or misappropriating public money, or granting public jobs or contracts to their sponsors, friends and families<\/p>\n Public servants demanding or taking money or favors in exchange for services<\/p>\n Wealthy individuals using their influence on governments for their own interests<\/p>\n Corporations bribing officials to get lucrative deals<\/p>\n Someone exerting influence in decision-making without declaring an interest in one of the parties involved<\/p>\n Corruption has devastating effects on businesses and societies. It erodes trust, weakens democracy, hampers economic development and further exacerbates inequality, poverty, social division and the environmental crisis.<\/p>\n A bribe is defined as an inducement or reward that is promised, offered or given to improperly gain any commercial, contractual, regulatory or personal advantage. Bribes may be paid in advance, as an inducement to a person to act improperly, or retrospectively, pursuant to a previous promise, understanding or agreement.<\/p>\n Examples of bribery might include:<\/strong><\/p>\n A public official on a trade delegation to another country requesting first-class travel and luxury accommodation in return for favorable treatment<\/p>\n Providing access to someone\u2019s private details such as banking details or health data in return for a payment or gift<\/p>\n Offering a payment to a public official to circumvent the law such as to a judge in a court case<\/p>\n In procurement, providing an incentive in order to gain access to tender assessment criteria, or details of rival bids, or to receive a preferential evaluation of a submitted tender<\/p>\n Corporations and other businesses providing lavish hospitality with a view to gaining favorable terms or other business advantages<\/p>\n Businesses providing influencers with free or heavily discounted goods and services in return for glowing reviews and publicity<\/p>\n Terms that are associated with bribery and corruption include, but are not limited to<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Extortion<\/p>\n Embezzlement<\/p>\n Kick-backs<\/p>\n Back-handers<\/p>\n Pay off<\/p>\n Exploitation<\/p>\n Slush funds<\/p>\n Fraud<\/p>\n Nepotism<\/p>\n Sweeteners<\/p>\n Graft<\/p>\n Collusion<\/p>\n Facilitation payment<\/p>\n Shell company<\/p>\n Solicitation<\/p>\n Buy someone off<\/p>\n Match-fixing<\/p>\n Conflict of interest<\/p>\n Bribery and corruption can have many consequences for a government, including<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Damaged public trust<\/strong><\/p>\n Corruption can wear away public trust in the government, which can be difficult to repair.<\/p>\n Inefficient use of resources<\/strong><\/p>\n Corruption can lead to misallocation of public resources, which can slow economic growth<\/a> and development.<\/p>\n Poor quality goods and services<\/strong><\/p>\n Corruption can lead to a decrease in the quality of goods and services, and make them more expensive and time consuming to obtain.<\/p>\n