Corruption

In Wall Street, the movie, Gordon Gekko (played by Michael Douglas) says:-

'The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind'.

I have never been able to forget those words and the shuddering effects they evoke in my spine.

So much is said today about corruption. What are the root causes of corruption? They are ignorance, apathy, and greed. These breed ineffienciency and inefficiency breeds corruption. The ultimate remedy for corruption therefore must confront all three root causes. Greed is wanting and taking more than one morally deserves. Ignorance is lack of knowledge of the pros and cons of conduct or policy and apathy is pure ‘tidak apa-ism’- a couldn’t care less attitude. In Malaysia and in the entire world, the disease of corruption has reigned supreme. It is the cause of the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

What can a social revolutionist do about these root causes besides talking and complaining about this evil social ill? Henry George points to the answer. He says that sympathy is potentially a much stronger motivating force than self-interest.

"Shortsighted is the philosophy which counts on selfishness as the master motive of human action... If you would move men to action, to what shall you appeal? Not to their pockets, but to their patriotism; not to selfishness, but to sympathy. Self-interest is, as it were, a mechanical force - potent, it is true; capable of large and wide results. But there is in human nature what may be likened to a chemical force; which melts and fuses and overwhelms; to which nothing seems impossible. 'All that a man hath will he give for his life' [Job 2:4] - that is self-interest. But in loyalty to higher impulses men will give even life." (Progress and Poverty).

People and their leaders must first eliminate their own ignorance to educate themselves to gain knowledge of the basic causes and remedies for social problems, including the economics, politics, and morality of the problems and solutions. Then when they educate others, they must at the same time invoke their antipathy the problem and arouse their sympathy with the remedy.

When the masses are roused with sympathy and armed with knowledge of the remedy, the greedy opponents will either be swayed themselves to join the righteous battle, or be overwhelmed by the greater force of the righteous revolution.

To remedy corruption, society must implement policies which replace ignorance, apathy and greed with knowledge, sympathy, and charity. The point is, ladies and gentleman, that charity, for lack of a better word, is good. Charity is right, Charity works. Charity clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Charity, in all of its forms; Charity for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind.