Define corruption and discuss why it can threaten a state’s sovereignty

Definition of Corruption
Corruption is a dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery and looting of public funds for personal gain. It is a form of dishonesty undertaken by a person entrusted with a position of authority often to acquire personal benefit. (Wikipedia)

• Corruption aids criminal anti-social activities of all kinds, beyond the detection of national authorities (Global Policy Forum). When corruption is deeply rooted in a country, it becomes a breeding ground for terrorists. Terrorist groups are able to bribe themselves into every corner of the country and perform their terrorist activities as they like hence putting the entire country including the government at risk.

• Corruption destabilizes the financial independence of a country. When large amount of money meant for development ends in the pockets of a few citizens, then it means that the government has to depend on borrowed money from already developed countries to carry out the development. (Global Policy Forum). This makes the government to owe a huge debt to the lending country and it is therefore likely to lose its financial autonomy. It is like it will be living under the mercy of another country and huge debt beyond what a country can borrow is likely to make the government unstable.

• Corruption weakens state institutions which are meant to oversee proper functioning of a government. When corruption is witnessed in institutions such as judiciary, legislature among other state institutions then the government is likely to lose its legitimacy and probably lose command over its citizens. (Global Policy Forum). They are institutions that the people of that nation look unto to protect them from exploitation of individuals and the government. If such institutions are also weakened by corruption then it makes the citizens vulnerable to its government.

• Corruption corrodes the foundation of a state-nation. It weakens the state finance and undermines the legitimacy of the tax system in the eyes of ordinary citizens. It erodes the ability of the state to operate legally and to command the loyalty of its citizen. (Global Policy Forum).When corruption is rampant in a country, its citizens lose trust in their government and the government is no longer able to command loyalty from the citizens.

• Corruption puts to a country’s development at stake. (EACC Report). This happens when money meant for infrastructure development is used to benefit a few individuals at the expense of development. This then makes the lives of citizens more vulnerable due to lack of facilities such equipped public hospitals because they are likely to succumb to diseases that is easily treatable. Lack of good learning institutions such as schools also contributes to underdevelopment since when a country has a high level of illiteracy then it cannot develop. Poor roads, lack of intensive electrification are also things that lag behind the development of a given country.


• Corruption can be a reason for social unrest in a country. (EACC Report). This happens when the citizens are mutually discontented with the political system and can manifest itself in different forms of protest behavior which will be contingent on political culture and the dynamic evolution of shared values. When citizens are tired of deeply rooted corruption in their country they may decide to take action in their hands to fight corruption by forming rioting or protest groups to air their dissatisfaction in the way the government is tackling the issue of corruption in the country. The social unrest could be peaceful and at the same time turn into outburst of violence. When social unrest turns violent, it results into social disruption, destruction of property and even loss of lives.

• Corruption is likely to cause a country to have negative international image (EACC Report). This means the country lose its credible image it has enjoyed in the international plat-foam. This is likely to scare away investors who would have wished to invest in the country if there could have been no corruption. At the same time it is likely to cause investors withdraw their investment from the country for fear of losing their hard earned money. In most of the time when a country corruption reaches international plat foam, most countries cut their association with the country; some super power countries may even give sanctions to such countries including their leaders and this affects the development of the affected countries.


REFERENCES

1. EACC, Corruption in Kenya: Causes and Effects of Corruption in Kenya. Retrieved from: https://softkenya.com>kenya>corruption

2. Global Policy forum, State Sovereignty and Corruption. Retrieved from: https://www.globalpolicy.org

3. Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, Legitimacy (Political). Retrieved from: https://en.wikepedia.org/wiki/legitimacy_(political)


4. Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, Sovereignty. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/sovereinty.

5. Wikipedia, Corruption. Retrieved from: https://en.m.wikipedia.org>wiki>corruption

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Smwenje answered the question on November 15, 2018 at 18:33