Corruption Is Not Just a Political Problem, It’s a Social One

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We often have an issue with our leaders that they are generally very corrupt, have no sense of responsibility, and come to power only to rob us of our basic rights and earn a humongous amount of money from it.
However, we are quick to blame corruption on our leaders but painfully slow to admit how much of it lives within us. We tend to forget the fact that leaders are nothing but a very accurate representation of what we are collectively as a society. We ourselves are a bunch of morally corrupt and opportunistic individuals masquerading as a society. All talks of culture, cooperation, and a high moral compass are restricted only to our words.

Most of us would do the same kind of corruption, provided we get the chance. The only difference is that we do not have the opportunity to engage in corruption on such a large scale. Otherwise, it is not only our leaders who are robbing us, we are also cheating and exploiting each other in smaller ways every single day.

For instance, today the leadership, along with the bureaucracy, has put in ample effort to clean the nation. But at the same time, most of us do not even make the extra effort to carry our garbage for a few extra meters and instead dump it wherever we like, without caring about the consequences. Is this not a form of corruption?

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All of us break rules, cut queues, and escape responsibility wherever possible. Is this not corruption? Electricity theft is extremely common in this country. Triple riding on bikes without helmets is no longer even considered a crime, but rather a thrill or an adventure, even though these rules exist to protect us in case of an accident.

I remember that a few days back, the government had organized a program. After the program finished, people present there stole the flower pots placed at the venue and took them home. And then we ask, why are our leaders like this? Without realizing that they come from amongst us and are merely a representation of what we are as a society. If this is the approach with which we live our lives, we must understand that even if corruption disappeared from politics tomorrow, most of us would still practice it in our daily lives without hesitation.

What makes the situation worse is the normalization of what we casually call “small corruption.” From a very young age, we are taught that honesty is impractical. Parents themselves advise their children, “Jyada seedha mat ban,” as if integrity is a weakness. Over time, wrongdoing stops feeling wrong and starts feeling necessary.

We can get a clearer picture of ourselves by looking at the idols and influencers we celebrate. The kind of heroes we make and idolize is a true indicator of what we are and what we aspire to become. We actively celebrate rule breakers and bullies by branding them as “alpha,” “rebel,” or “fearless.” Cinema, social media, and everyday conversations glorify those who dominate systems.
Not only this, ethical contributors, the ones who follow rules and practice integrity, are often mocked, insulted, and dismissed as fools. We do not just encourage corruption, we actively discourage integrity as well.

In a country where nearly 80% of PCS and government job aspirants get motivation by dreaming about the money they will earn by oppressing and exploiting the very population they belong to, corruption should not come as a surprise. Even educators are often praised for showing students dreams of earning thousands of crores through corruption once they clear exams and occupy powerful positions.
When this is the base and the kind of motivation our aspirants receive, we should not wonder why such a large percentage of our bureaucrats are corrupt. Many are forced to become corrupt just to survive within the system, the same system that we ourselves have created and then constantly complain about.
So, what is the solution? First of all, we must be honest enough to accept that this is a generational problem, and it will take at least a generation to correct it. We must collectively come together and start inculcating honest values in ourselves and in our younger ones as a responsibility.
We need to promise ourselves that there is no need for grand programs, because this is not something that can be solved in a short period, and grandeur itself often invites corruption. What we need instead is to practice honesty in our daily lives, demonstrate it through our actions, and show our younger ones how it is actually done. Only then can we begin to see real change, definitely not immediately, but over a generation.