Our government... teaches the whole people by its example.  If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. 

--Louis Brandeis


 


  


Curbing Corruption - Unit 2: Causes of Corruption

 

Motivation for Engaging in Corruption

Henry Kissinger once said, “Corrupt politicians make the other ten percent look bad.”  From a personal desire for an unfair advantage, to distrust in the justice system, to complete instability in a nation’s identity, there are numerous factors motivating people of power, parliamentarians included, and indeed ordinary citizens, to engage in corrupt behavior. 

Governance problems can be more or less serious, and can vary from one part of government to another. It is one of the key governance problems that a country may face. Governments are vulnerable to corruption when their institutions are:

  • Involved in clear cases of corruption;
  • Inefficient;
  • Unresponsive;
  • Secretive; or
  • Inequitable.

In this unit, we take apart these most common motivating factors for corruption in the governance process and among government agents.

 
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