When a person in authority misuses his or her power for personal gains, it is defined as corruption. An organisation called Transparency International releases the ‘Corruption Perception Index’, where all the countries are ranked based on their level of corruption. Do you know which countries are most corrupt? Countries like Somalia, Syria, and Venezuela secured the last spot. On this page, we will discuss a speech on Corruption in Politics, its causes and its impact on society.
Table of Contents
2 Minute Speech on Corruption in Politics
Good morning to all the respected teachers and my fellow mates. Today, I’m going to speak about a major issue of our democracy: Corruption in politics. Before we get into the details, it is important to understand what corruption is. Corruption is a form of dishonesty in which people in positions of power engage in illegal activity for personal gain. It is a criminal offence that still exists in many systems. Corruption in politics is more damaging than it appears because it harms the foundations of democracy. It is cause for concern because it lowers people’s trust in governmental institutions. This involves bribery, hiring known individuals for jobs, misuse of public funds, charging for services that are free to the public, and many more. When political leaders prioritise personal gain over social service, the consequences are grave. It hinders the country’s economic and social progress, resulting in less public-sector development. When individuals see dishonest behaviour from their leaders, they begin to lose faith in them. The presence of corruption creates a society in which individuals feel helpless and engage in less civic participation. Corruption is a systemic issue instead of an individual one. This problem is deeply rooted in our society and has an impact on our daily lives. As responsible citizens, we must oppose corruption. It is not a one-person responsibility, but with continuous effort, standing with the right and holding our leaders accountable for their actions can be a huge step forward. Together as a society, we can create a future in which honesty and transparency are the foundation of democracy and corruption is a thing of the past. Thank you! |
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Causes of Corruption in Politics
Corruption in politics is a serious concept that poses a threat to society. We can fight this negative element of society by understanding why it exists. Here, we’ll discuss some of the major causes of corruption in politics:
- Lack of Transparency: When there is a lack of transparency in the system, it is easy for the officials to engage in such corrupt activities without getting caught.
- Economic Inequality: In societies where there is economic inequality, people tend to indulge in more corrupt activities to earn more money at the expense of others.
- Weak institutions: Weak institutions need more effective laws and policies. It leads to a failure to enforce anti-corruption laws and punish the offenders.
- Political system: A system where power is in the hands of few people only, there is a high risk of corruption. With no effective check in the system, officials get more freedom to engage in such acts.
- Lack of accountability: When there is no control over the working of the officials’ authorities and no law binding them, it becomes challenging to hold them accountable for their actions. This act sends them a message that their act is acceptable, which leads to more illicit acts.
- Bureaucratic Complexity: People with high authority can get the chance to misuse their powers in politics. That’s why it is important to avoid excessive bureaucracy; otherwise, it will lead to more bribery and illicit acts.
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Impact of Corruption on Country
Corruption is deeply rooted in our political system and affects us in our daily lives. These consequences are obvious not only to individuals but to the entire country. Some of the serious impacts of corruption in politics are discussed below.
- Social Impact: Corruption promotes inequality between the rich and the poor. It leads to more poverty as people tend to exploit other’s money for their personal gains. The diversion of resources leads to less development for public service, causing a low quality of life. It fosters a culture of dishonesty, weakening the moral and ethical values of society.
- Political Impact: Corruption leads to weak democracy as it damages the faith of people in public institutions and political authority. When people lose their faith in government, they are more likely to take power in their hands, causing protests and civil unrest. Lack of enforcement of laws and policies leads to political instability.
- Economic Impact: Corruption leads to the diversion of resources from public services to the personal accounts of corrupt officials. This reduces the productivity of the whole economy. An unstable domestic and international trade environment faces unfair competition and more bribery, affecting the economy, and causing high prices for goods and services.
- Governance Impact: When leaders act dishonestly, people tend to lose their trust in the government and its authorities. This creates a society where the law is not enforced and justice does not prevail, leading to increased social and criminal unrest.
- International Impact: Corruption damages a country’s reputation on an international level. It can lead to reduced foreign investment and trade opportunities. In extreme cases, a country with high corruption can face international sanctions.
FAQs
Ans: Corruption is a form of dishonesty in which people in positions of power engage in illegal activity for personal gain. Engaging in any of these behaviours is a criminal offence because it threatens democracy by interfering with the functioning of society.
Ans: Corruption in politics is more damaging than it appears because it harms the foundations of democracy. It is cause for concern because it lowers people’s trust in governmental institutions. This involves bribery, hiring known individuals for jobs, misuse of public funds, charging for services that are free to the public, and many more.
When political leaders prioritise personal gain over social service, the consequences are grave. It hinders the country’s economic and social progress, resulting in less public-sector development. When individuals see dishonest behaviour from their leaders, they begin to lose faith in them.
Ans: Lack of transparency, economic inequality, weak democratic institutions, and lack of accountability for persons in authority are some of the major causes of corruption.
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