Corruption and Society

Japanese are by and large honest people. While dealing with Japanese on normal basis you can safely trust them. That may make some people claim that the reason that Japan is so prosperous is because of honesty of her people.

This will not be completely true as while common Japanese may be assumed to be more honest than a common Indian, her politicians are much more corrupt than Indian politicians.

The amount that Japanese leaders rake (or used to rake) makes Laloo and Sukhram look like reincarnation of Raja Harishchandra. So why is the reason that average Japan citizen is honest? I think that the reason behind is vastly different extent of corruption.

While there is corruption in Japan, it doesn’t affect daily life of citizen. Since the government there is not omniscient, omnipotent or omnipresent, average Japanese can transact without having to bear the cost for corruption. Ofcourse any kind of corruption has a cost which is borne by all, the point is that it is not apparent in Japan and America to common people and it doesn’t hamper their daily life.

The other aspect of Japanese culture is deeply engendered sense of loyalty and hierarchy, although present generation is very much influenced by west, the older generation remains committed to idea of social commitment.

In contrast Indian state is so intervening that corruption interferes with daily life. A venal state translates into a dysfunctional society and indifferent people.
Once the people become indifferent and even accpeting in many cases, it sets up a vicious circle to perpetuate corruption, without doubt impoverishing the country.

My family (near as well as extended) as well as my social circle constitutes almost exclusively of government servants (common occurence among middle class Indians not living in metros),
and since my childhood I have lseen a disgustingly high tolerance for corruption.

Even my mother who has been honest all her life gives lots of latitude to some of my relatives who I suspect are corrupt.I find it exasperating.

In fact "upar ki kamai"(bribery) is not a uncommon topic of conversation and till few years back used to be one of important criteria for judging the "selling price" of grooms.

This will also explain my attraction to free markets. They are not corruption free, but they are more manegable than government.