Pourquoi faut-il se soucier de la corruption

May 6, 2016 William J. Burns , Michael Mullen

WASHINGTON, DC – Le pape François a dit de la corruption qu’elle est « la gangrène d’un peuple ». Le secrétaire d’État américain, John Kerry, y voit un des éléments qui entretiennent l’extrémisme (« radicalizer »), car elle « détruit la confiance en une autorité légitime ». Et le Premier ministre britannique David Cameron la considère comme « l’un des plus grands ennemis, aujourd’hui, du progrès ».

Pour le dire simplement, la corruption, c’est le détournement d’une fonction publique à des fins privées. Comme le reconnaissent de plus en plus les dirigeants, c’est une menace au développement, à la dignité humaine et à la sécurité mondiale. Lors du sommet anti-corruption, qui se tiendra à Londres le 12 mai, les dirigeants de la planète – auxquels se joindront des représentants du monde des affaires et de la société civile – auront une chance à saisir s’ils veulent faire reconnaître ce fléau.

Dans toutes les cultures et tout au long de l’histoire, la corruption a été dénoncée. Elle est aussi vieille que l’État. Mais comme les autres activités criminelles, elle est devenue, au cours des dernières décennies, de plus en plus sophistiquée, et ses effets dévastateurs sur le bien-être et la dignité d’innombrables innocents n’ont fait qu’augmenter.

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William J. Burns

Writing for PS since 2016
1 Commentary

William J. Burns, former US Deputy Secretary of State, is President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Michael Mullen

Writing for PS since 2016
1 Commentary

Michael Mullen was Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2007 to 2011.

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wendi cermak May 23, 2016

Benjamin Franklin claimed that giving politicians the opportunity to "do good and do well" was asking for trouble. Addressing the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Fraklin stated: "There are two passions which have a powerful influence in the affairs of men. These are ambition and avarice; the love of power and the love of money. Separately, each of these has great force in prompting men to action; but when united in view of the same object, they have in many minds the most violent effects. Place before the eyes of such men a post of honor that shall at the same time be a place of profit, and they will move heaven and earth to obtain it."

Donald Trump has amassed billions in personal wealth. Forbes estimates Trump's net worth to be less than half the $10 billion Trump claims he's worth; other financial news sources estimate his worth is less than half of that (Forbes' estimate). Many Americans consider Trump a successful businessman despite a history of failed business ventures and corporate bankruptcies, with one exception - he became president of his father's $200 million real-estate business in 1974. By 1993, he was out of money and had to borrow $10 million from his siblings. Within a year, he was once again broke and borrowed another $20 million from his family. When his father died in 1999, Donald inherited (split amongst siblings) an estate worth approx $250 million.

While records of Donald's failed businesses are a matter of public record, tax filings documenting his actual earnings have been deliberately withheld. He downplays the millions he's lost, which we can verify if we choose to look at court at filings, as insignificant; he proclaims the billions he's worth, which we can't verify if he chooses not to post his tax filings, as triumphant. Who goes to a job interview without a resume? Who hires a person without reviewing his/her application?

If you don't want a politician who can be bought by corporations to be your legislator, why would you want a businessman who admits to buying politicians to be your president? Of course Donald Trump doesn't have to answer to the status quo. Because he IS the status quo.

More importantly, who has never done something out of anger that they didn't later come to regret? At a time when under-employment is as much, if not more, a concern as unemployment, a man renowned for saying "you're fired" is the Republican choice to bring jobs back to America.

Seriously?

And people call me an idiot for being a Democrat!!
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Eric Encina May 15, 2016

Corruption is our human nature. We can't avoid it anymore, but we can, by determination, lessen it.
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Eric Encina May 12, 2016

A Philosophical & Practical Diagnosis of Corruptions(?)

By Eric V.Encina
Philosophically speaking, we want to eliminate corruptions? Then let's eliminate the Government! Eliminate Foreign Loans, Foreign Aid, Taxes. Eliminate the Debt-Based Corrupt Money System. And we all want ultimately eliminate corruptions? Then eliminate all human beings!(?) It's all seemed futile to eliminate corruptions since all human beings are corrupt by our human nature (?) (sinners) except God and the heavenly beings.
What to do to stop corruptions in the Philippines? Money-poisoning is very serious - the immediate symptom of corruption. And certainly we need God's interventions. But money-poisoned politicians do not want to have God's interventions. What they need is Mammon interventions!
DEATH, RATHER THAN CORRUPTION? Who, then, can take it?:
I think in Japan, still, "harakiri" or suicide is still existing out shame or loss of dignity once they commit betrayal or corruptions, other than bankruptcies.
Can a Filipino politician who has been charged or guilty of corruptions take suicide out of shame or loss of dignity due to crimes of corruptions?
I have a philosophical treatise on the diagnosis of corruptions here in the Philippines and all over the world, in majorem cautelam, as one of the very delicate issues of the 21st century.
Here in the Philippines, the common " Lapsus Lingual" or slip of the tongue - is "corruption" that even the farmers are unknowingly or inadvertently "corrupting" the soil by spraying agro-chemicals run by Mammonistic agro-chemical companies and thus destroying the natural fertility of the soil and thus destroying the environment. Imagine we are buying (corrupt vegetables) from GMO-chemically-grown farms?
THERE'S A SAYING WHAT WE EAT IS WHAT WE ARE! And so if we usually eat "corrupt vegetable, and or corrupt fast food", then, we humans become also eventually "corrupt".
Satan has been successful to corrupt everything from A to Z. This is the ultimate tragedy for humanity but God is so merciful to all of us. "He Does Not Kill Or Harm Us"except we ourselves do so animated by the spirits of satan working so fast, so adroit and so powerful all over from political, economics, banking, finance, even food production and farming - so what can we expect to be pure and free from corruptions.

I invite others to do some similar forms of diagnosis to obtain the "real solutions" and not just being crushed by problems. Because people could only vaguely address the issues on corruptions on whether we address the causes or simply the effects, then let us give them solutions.

What more do we have of corruption effects offered by media communications for destroying the truths and glorifying lies?
Perhaps, to start to be free from corruptions, let us START FROM THE SOIL that gives us life, food, habitats and the natural environment. We can't be free from corruptions so long as the the very soil we obtain our food is "already corrupt" by chemicals.
Hence, practically, for deeper discussions, albeit arguably, but without "acts of graft and corruption or theft", the public servants such as government leaders, politicians of all nation-governments, even bankers, financiers and economists of local, national, regional and intercontinental to global reach, and most professionals to public and private institutions, and even religious dignitaries, or some military officials, churchmen of various churches, temples and mosques and sectarian groups, men of various organizations, movements, groups, etc. can't be also "out of poverty traps and money problems" in the world under the present money system.
Hypothetically, what is the use of being a public servant of a certain government if you are also poor or poverty-stricken politician? How can a poverty-stricken public servant with the same family members and relatives in poverty traps serve the same poverty-stricken constituents and or help the needy citizens?
Can these public servants or politicians with their meager, or modest salaries, benefits afford them to help the poor constituents?
Let's take a closer look why corruptions are inevitable or unavoidable in the Philippines and in the world under the present monetary system:
Little Income Versus Huge Expenses:
The income is never enough for quality living for most poor Filipinos in the Philippines. It is axiomatic that the rate of income is always less than the rate of expenses.
Here, let us critically consider the fact that even the Philippine Government premiers, leaders and politicians such as President, Vice-President, Senate President, House Speaker, and Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice at Salary Grade between 30-33, with a monthly salary ranging from PHP103,000 (US$2,500) to PHP111,198 (US$2,700) and the department secretaries, senators, congressmen, SC associate justices, and heads of constitutional commissions at Salary Grade 31 with a monthly salary ranging from PHP90, 000 (US$2,300) to PHP97,163 (US$2,200) and the rest of the government executives, under secretaries, presidential assistants, the solicitor-general, and associate honorable justices of the Court of Appeals and the Sandiganbayan and all government employees, et al DO NOT FEEL THEY DO NEVER HAVE ENOUGH SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR THEIR NEEDS AND PERSONAL AGGRANDIZEMENT, ETC. And because they are not content with their salary grades, they are also tempted to rob, do nasty scams and corruptions -- left and right . They seem to side with the powerful few for hundreds of millions to billions of money as kickbacks and huge profits at the expense of the poor Filipinos. However, there are no sufficient evidences as alleged, accordingly, to prove that these government officials in the major levels of the Government are indeed corrupt. They are merely allegations and those government officials are in the "LexTalionis" modes since they are filing cases against each other and thus dividing the Filipino citizens into many factions and making the country like a boat without clear direction. In the science of corruptions, there are other issues to be dwelt and broached on as quite debatable in wide audiences.
Most government leaders or public servants -if ever they would practice perfect honesty, that is, corruption free -- are also in the very edge of poverty level if that is going to be based on global standards of living. That is why, whether we deny it or not, these public servants take the chance of committing certain acts of graft and corruption according to the needs, perceived or real, and through variable levels of acts, among other reasons, to save themselves from being poor and or from poverty traps.
Every now and then, practically everywhere we are bombarded and inundated by the "ubiquitous issues" of acts of State, Church Private-Entity-Institutional Corruption. Corruption is the common "citizens' slip of the tongue" when there is poverty, hardship, and difficulties for survival. We say this as if, we are not also corrupt by ourselves in one way or another, and or as if we are not under corrupt money system.
Suppose there is absence of financial corruption in the world, can then our life be better without it?
Who is not corrupt in one way or another? No matter how honest we want to be, corruption manifests in us in different ways other than financial, corruptions such as spiritual, moral, physical, intellectual, natural, scientific and environmental corruptions and as such, that is, because we are humans and therefore we are all corrupt by the very nature of creation.
Who is not a sinner and without sins?
I do not directly subscribe although I am aware that corruption is alive and existing, to the unethically rush judgment of corruptions among judges for example, which is allegedly the cause of the problems. If ever there are corrupt judges or fiscals, et al, in the Philippines, it seems that they are also the victims of unjust and unfair monetary mechanisms and provisions prevailing in the Philippine Government in the budget allocations for the Judiciary.
It is the system that is putrid that financially discriminates the honorable judges and making them incapacitated to address the case backlogs in the courts among other problems. However, this does not mean that judges are exempted to speak up against the corrupt budgetary-monetary system allocation in the government. Hence, although I do not believe that all judges are putrid except tainted somehow out of human-nature-weaknesses and pressures, they are also inadvertently money-controlled as all of us are, by the present monetary system, if not at all money-poisoned. This happened, in my own personal view, to former Chief Justice Renato Corona in his infamous impeachment trials more or less (three) 3 years ago. But the former Chief Justice was rather the victim of disgraceful injustice and I believe, not a culprit of corruptions in the Judiciary during his terms.
I am not also a theologian though I was a former Catholic Seminary aspirant but the way I understand in spiritual realms and Biblical perspectives is that there is existence of corruption whether it is all pestiferous or simply a pungent whiff of corruption, in the world because of our "hedonistic love of the flesh" and most common of all is the "love of money" for the lust of the world's wealth and powers.
Diogenes, the cynic philosopher wrote that "money is the mother city of all evil. Hence, there is a warning in the Biblical context that "There will be terrifying times in the last days. People will be self-centred and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive", irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good"as they make pretense of religion but deny its power." -- (2 Tim. 3:1-5) and thus "Radix omnium malorum cupiditas est." (The love of money is the root of all evils.") - 1 Timothy 6:10.
Some monetary reformers say "evil is the root of all money".
Human Nature And Corruptions:
Without exception, we are all corrupt in one way or another because of our corrupt human nature that EVENTUALLY CREATED THE CORRUPT MONEY SYSTEM that presently poisons us to physical, moral and spiritual deaths.
Corruption is the natural way of life but bereft of divine life according to individual choice(s). Even the Popes in the history of the Catholic Church and even leaders of all other religions like imams, rabbis, pastors, ministers, et al, admit that corruptions also exist in their churches and religions. In the science of corruptions that I have been trying to make a draft for many years, corruption is actually a way of life, not because we really like it, but because that is our very nature except you and I or any human person is supernaturally possessed by Godly nature. This is possible if (an individual or ) you are a mystic, but admittedly in the theological books, even the saints or the righteous commit sins seven (7) times a day.
The most common corruption everywhere, in four corners of the earth, is "monetary corruptions". The allegation of the existence of corruption in the Governments of the nations particularly in the financial, economic, banking sectors and even to legal and the judiciary branches is not specifically described in the light what it is actually all about. I doubt very much about it but I think judges, fiscals or lawyers, et al, who have been or who are soaked in accidental corruptions are also heavily pressured but nevertheless retain their honor and dignity. They are not saints or angels. I also know some corrupt-free, or noble and highly morale judges and lawyers with strong faith in God and with moral uprightness and thus who are giving their best to their legal professions to serve and help the poor and the needy. These judges who give their prudent case decisions righteously and truthfully in behalf of the innocents and of worthy of justice.
THE CONTROL, OR THE LACK OF, OR ABSENCE OF MONEY(OR THE MONEY POWER ITSELF) IS THE MAIN CULPRIT(?) --The Crisis of Economic Democracy.
Money-Poisoned?:
It is sad to hear over the years, but Filipino judges, lawyers, fiscals, law enforces, policemen, military men and Philippine government and court officials and employees, except with the few, some, who might be corrupt or greedy for money randomly or inadvertently by economic circumstances and since they are not also free from persisting and mind-boggling money crisis, debts, interest payments, mortgages, bankruptcies, etc are also seemed to be accidentally and fatefully money-troubled, if not money-poisoned or eventually addicted in one way or another since they are also pressured financially for the living, per se, for survival. Like most of the ordinary citizens who are in the financial traumatized situations most of the times, it is very difficult likewise for them to remain clean, moral, ethical, spiritual at all times within the corrupt money worlds. They are also, of course, trying to live in righteousness, uprightness, in honor and in dignity. And I believe there are some struggling individuals in the government agencies both in the three branches of the Government who also would like to live in harmony with faith and morals particularly on money matters against all odds.
Former Philippine President + Manuel L. Quezon in his "Code of Citizenship and Ethics", wrote:
"Value your honor as you value your life; poverty with honor is more preferred to wealth with dishonor."
Non obstante, of what I commonly, negatively and disgustingly hear and read from the news and columns, etc. about the Philippine corrupt court officials, officers, per se, judges (or some writers call them evil men in robes just like those Churchmen in religious vestments ), justices, fiscals and public lawyers, et al, and, about our police and military officials and authorities in the dispositions and judgments of the legal and criminal cases, etc., I have high regards and respect to them albeit with little reservation. Citizens should give proper respect due to them. It is expected that they are not without faults or errors, however, under pressures, tensions and or by human weaknesses or by lapse of judgment and or partly affected by health and medical crisis. But it is for certain that they are doing their jobs according to their faculties, discretion and capacity and with regards to their priorities. In any case and or they only cater services to the privileged few, they are therefore responsible to what they are doing and culpable before the state laws and above all answerable before the laws of God.
But the question is: What kind of corruption the Philippine Government or let say, the Philippine Supreme Court is entrapped in particularly of its own ranks, and or what kind of corruption we are talking about?
Human Rights And Corruptions:
The right to corrupt, or the right not to corrupt is also the question.
Corruption is also reportedly even existing in the United Nations although it issued U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights that in article 21 (2) states that: "Everyone has a right of equal access to public service in his country". The immediate question is: Is this being genuinely implemented by all nations particularly the Philippines?
Human Rights, Corruption And Money Creation:

Sadly, public service in the Philippines is still extremely and shamefully very poor, if not inutile or non-existent even the fact that this country is known to be the only Christian nation in the South-East Asia.
What about on economics and finance with regards to public service? For the financially and crisis-stricken Filipinos, where is the public service on banking and finance? People's money like pork barrels are a sham, and not for the service of the poor except with the very few privileged. Pardon me, but this is all madness!
Other than the link between corruption and human rights, what is then the link between corruption and money, also money creation and money distribution, provision and dispensation? It is tragic to tell to everybody that democratic Government like Philippines is known to be the most corrupt. Corruption is essential but accidental part of democracy and is becoming a way of life in the Philippines. Can we eradicate it all in the 21st century?
And so what is then the nucleus of corruption?

Corrupt acts and practices are not only tantamount to violations of basic or fundamental human rights as merely naturalistic but also pestiferous to life, family and to community, also to ethics and morality and above all against the divine laws of the Creator.
Accordingly, corruption and human rights violation enter into the court in the context of judicial proceedings, are when a judge or a justice (or justices) attempt(s) to give favor to a party to a suit, for mere considerations other than the preponderance of the merits of the case or cause. But there are other forms of corruption inside the court arena that cause delay and denial of justice to the aggravated and aggrieved party.
The lack (absence or control) of money causes corruptions in the Philippines:
Even if the alleged US$2.4 billion to $3 billion annual public graft were not stolen, as it always is by the wealthy, and by corruption in the Philippine government, this money would not still be enough to end poverty. Perhaps, US$14 billion -- the sum total of annual interest payments of the Philippine Government to its domestic and foreign debts might suffice to spend to end poverty in the country. But I strongly suggest that the Government-created, debt-free money creation-scheme of US$5 trillion in the Philippines in Peso value by the country's central bank (BSP) would significantly suffice to eliminate poverty here, with all its attendant evils. This is not inflationary. It is debt finance at interest, that is inflationary. It would rather be a miracle for all of us here to be free from financial slavery.
Corruption is one of the bitterest repercussions of the deadliest and most corrupt ex nihilo debt-based money system, with usury, to which I refer as "artificial". Corruption would remain forever, so long as an economy depends upon debt-finance, disaster capitalism and usury.
I might be redundant or some might accuse of me of "being paranoid" for finding outfurther of the crimes and the terrible effects of debt finance, usury, corruptions, and indeed unfortunately, the more I found out the nightmares I got.
To change the world is first to change oneself, and is no less, beginning with small, thoughtful, graceful thoughts and actions. Cooperation and harmony with faith in God are the keys to human survival, not control, not slavery, not greed and avarice, not debt, usury, violence, racism, sectarianism , elitism and war-mongering.
I am compelled to continue to speak up courageously if possible without recant for those who are oppressed and excluded in the Philippines and in the world as much as possible to be model in thoughts, words and actions the real reforms I want to see in the world for the good of all humanity.
I believe that all good things take time.
The present financial system is intrinsically shaping lives of BILLIONS OF PEOPLE and determines the fate (fatal) of our planet Earth.
The reported US$400 TRILLION in global assets are more than ENOUGH, in fact more than enormous, to eradicate POVERTY AND MONEY PROBLEMS and create a better world for all of us without worry about what to eat and how survive tomorrow and how and where we can find money, or job and or seek assistance. Poverty must be the thing of the past with this global wealth of money, but alas, the TRILLIONS of such assets are used to keep the poor and the humanity in perpetual miseries -- which, I am very sure, are not the WILL OF GOD!
The financial system is accountable for its terrible actions and nightmarish damages against humanity.
We can continue to do something different no matter how small we can.
Independent National Economy:
One of the "State Policies", Sec. 10 of "The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines states, "The State shall promote social justice in all phases of national development. In section 19 it states, The State shall develop a self-reliant and independent national economy effectively controlled by Filipinos".

The question is: how can it be possible if the country is in the dungeon of increasing debts and interest payments along with all the devastating effects and other socio-political problems and of foreign-aid dependent-man-made and natural calamities? Most loans contracted by the Philippine Government overseas are seemed to be "profitless" to poor Filipino citizens but only for the benefit of the few and for the increasing powers of the privatized banking system.
A British prominent thinker emeritus professor Tim O'Riordan spoke that "we are dealing with very powerful, vested interest that are trying to resist change, and also fundamental principles around human rights, social justice and the long-term care for future generations".
It is proven all over the world that international financial capitals wield very heavy influence, in many cases overcoming the wishes of national governments and therefore inimical to public interest. Most of our government leaders and politicians are beholden to the powerful interest of the multinational companies and global mega-bankers.
On February 16, 2015 at Philippine Daily Inquirer Business News, it reported that the World Bank (WB) has also urged the Philippine Government to increase the excise tax slapped on oil products, which, accordingly remained unadjusted since 1997.
The losses of annual revenues in the Philippines are not purely because of the non-payment of taxes but rather, quite savagely cruel, the payments of interest charges to private, commercial, foreign and international bankers that keep the nation in the imperialism of debt finance dependency and chains of usury-which I call the arithmetic weapons of Filipino mass destruction.
Noreena Hertz wrote that "WHAT IS THE WORTH OF REPRESENTATION IF....OUR POLITICIANS NOW JUMP UP TO THE COMMANDS OF CORPORATIONS (AND POWERFUL INDIVIDUALS) RATHER THAN THEIR OWN CITIZENS".
I also agree with GÃ¡borVona, JOBIK (The Movement For A Better Hungary President when he wrote in an open letter, February 10, 2015, "A Government that serves foreign interests and in turns its citizens against each other clearly demonstrates that it is itself foreign and unworthy of leading its own people."
"There are two ways of conquering a foreign nation. One is to gain control of its people by force of arms. The other is to gain control of its economy by financial means." -- John Foster Dulles
We are all aware that all foreign-aid grants and loans have their own corresponding strings-attached-requirements as part of foreign policies of these Western-based nations.
Money is adroitly made to be perpetually scarce as it is artificially controlled by the rapacious ogres of financial capitalism, the controllers of money-the bankers, financiers, the government officials, politicians and their parties, and nothing left to the poor -- who are supposed to benefit from the economic wealth and People's Money.
Many are unemployed. Jobs are not always available to jobs that fit to applicants! If ever there are jobs, they are very limited. Job requirements are too many and unfair. To many training without benefits. Those lucky employed are not given proper living wage and salaries while struggling in front of the rising prices of basic needs for survival. Employed people are also the victims of "loan sharks and usury". Nothing left to living wage after interest payment. All are taken by the greedy financiers and usurers.
Undergraduates and or High school and college graduates suffer unemployment and their families suffering hunger and starvation. People who want to start any home-based business or entrepreneurship do not have the working capital to do so to build their lives. People are not qualified by orthodox banking standards to borrow money from the commercial banks without collateral security. Farmers and their farming families cannot cultivate their land both rented and owned under survival pressures. There is no any farming aid nor any subsidy. Farmers are also in debt to loan sharks. Farming families are in dire poverty and suffering illnesses in the villages.
When poor people ask for help, oftentimes the appeal is smugly ignored, and even alleged or accused to be a sort of "scam".

The bankers, financiers, tycoons, the rich, politicians, multinational corporations and their cohorts get more than 99% of money supply while the poor, the poorest of the poor, get barely less than 1% in a terrible working competition and torturous struggles.
It is also lamenting that 60% to 70% of the Government's annual budget goes to perpetual payment of interest to cuckoos: commercial, foreign, global mega-bankers, the rest of the money goes to politicians in the form of pork barrels for their own personal aggrandizement, graft and corruptions, and scammed projects and nothing left for the ordinary Filipinos to build their lives. Payment of interest policy is infallible, the top major priority other than the needs of the citizens. 40% of the money supply goes to wastage.
The rich, the tycoons, the hypocrite, the vultures, usurers, bankers, the sarcastic do not give help to the poor but rather get more and more.
The money system is extremely evil. Human life and soul is at stake because of the money system. There is no equitable distribution of wealth. There is no any economic and monetary justice. There is no economic democracy.
Proposals to reform the money system for all people are condemned as "unorthodox and not worthy of economic fundamentals".
It is therefore lamenting that in this world in plenty created by God -- Who is the Owner of all wealth of the Universe, and made to be plenty by human progress but alas, there is no authentic justice and charity, no love, no solidarity, no compassion, no-care culture, but all in greed, avarice, selfishness, elimination, persecution and slavery of the poor, and destruction of human life.
Let us see the judgment of time and of history and above all, the Judgment of God.
At the end of our lives, we will be judged by love!
"There are risks and costs to A PROGRAM OF ACTION, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction". -- Former US President John F. Kennedy
Eric V. Encina
Philippines
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MK Anon May 9, 2016

They are absolutely right, corruption should be stopped by all means. What most convenient and cheap way to fight corruption than to have the supreme court declare it legal ! After all, giving money to politicians is not necessary corruption: it can be a fee for service (125000 dollars per hour for Clinton) or outright generosity like the koch bros..
So Micheal and William: here is another tool to fight corruption: vote for the richest man in the country. As stupid as he can be, at least he can't be bought.
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jose milton dos santos pestana barbosa May 9, 2016

New global rules on firms' tax disclosure urged by economists http://www.bbc.com/news/business-36243862?utm_content=buffere8bc5&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
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j. von Hettlingen May 7, 2016

William J. Burns and Michael Mullen know what they are talking about - the evils of corruption. Burns, as a former high-profile and much respected diplomat, and Mullen, as former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had dealt with corrupt regimes and learned the root cause of political upheavals in their countries. Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian street vendor set himself on fire in December 2010, in protest of police bribery that catalysed pro-democracy protest movments across North Africa and the Middle East.
Kleptocrats abuse their "public office" for personal benefits, while their own citizens starve, or live from hand to mouth. The authors point out rightly that in countries "where government officials enjoy (and often flaunt) their enrichment and impunity, extremist movements - including the Taliban, Boko Haram, and the Islamic State - exploit citizens’ outrage." People were fed up with rampant corruption, but they also got fed up with the "rigidly applied" Islamic "code of personal conduct" Islamists implemented, to "restore public integrity."
On May 12, world leaders will gather for the Anti-Corruption Summit in London, which - ironically - has become a magnet for money launderers, buying prime properties there. The National Crime Agency estimates that hundreds of billions of pounds in ill-gotten gains are laundered each year in the UK. In 2013, Prime Minister David Cameron asked fellow G8 leaders, including Vladimir Putin, to sign up to a new set of core tax principles. His goal was to tackle graft and money laundering that cost governments around the world billions in lost revenue, and to ensure that the UK will not be a safe haven for corrupt money.
The authors say the West has turned a blind eye to corrupt regimes. because it needs some to fight terrorism, and others to supply energy or raw materials. It is unclear whether they would "analyse the problem more effectively, which means improving the collection of intelligence and data." Ahead of the summit, Britain will release a "volume of essays" that shows how corruption is being structured. "It is the work of sophisticated networks, not unlike organized crime (with which corrupt agents are often integrated)." It is hence important that "governments must study these activities and their consequences the same way they study transnational criminal or terrorist organizations."
Indeed, there is no shortage of tools and efforts to fight corruption. Often aid-donors are told to keep an eye on the recipient countries, by setting up a watchdog or urging them to confront corruption, by handing over a list of priority reforms, "even at the risk of a counterpart's wrath." On the other hand, civil society pressure groups in recipient countries are being encouraged to fight for justice and equality and given anti-corruption education. But if the political will is not there corruption remains. Activists - without being offered enough protection - say that fighting corruption is an often dangerous and thankless task.
It is true that technology could be "another important tool in the fight against corruption." This "can reduce opportunities for wrongdoing, empower citizens to highlight illegal practices, and enhance government transparency and accountability." But at the end of the day it is the moral and ethics that matter more. In most cases consumerism is one of the main motivation behind corruption. If officials learn the importance of the Greater Good - the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, they would hesitate to enrich themselves at the expense of the wider public.
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Steve Hurst May 7, 2016

A myopic definition of corruption in this article

'Corruption, put simply, is the abuse of public office for personal gain.'

Sorry guys, it extends far further than that

Corruption is obvious when it is crude but is at its most dangerous when sophisticated. The authors need to read George Orwell
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Godfree Roberts May 7, 2016

"In places where government officials enjoy (and often flaunt) their enrichment and impunity, extremist movements – including the Taliban, Boko Haram, and the Islamic State – exploit citizens’ outrage."
I can hardly wait until Americans wake up to the fact that theirs is the most corrupt government in the developed world!
Oh, wait. Looks like they already have. A recent Bloomberg poll showing 78 percent of Americans in favor of overturning the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling received no coverage on national nightly news programs for ABC, CBS, NBC or PBS, nor Sunday morning political talk shows on ABC, FOX, or NBC. The court decision is once again having an enormous impact on the presidential election, with hundreds of millions of dollars expected to be raised and funneled into political super PACs through 2016. http://www.alternet.org/media/78-americans-want-citizens-united-overturned-so-why-does-media-never-cover-it
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piyush kumar May 6, 2016

Corruption in todays time has taken a gargantuan shape. Both economically and ethically it is wrong. Proper management of human nature and directing to best of its uses can be a solution. Developed countries must take strict actions to it and policy formulated must be visible not only on papers but also in spirit.
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jose milton dos santos pestana barbosa May 6, 2016

If governments really want to fight corruption, they have, specially, OECD members, finish bank secrecy and ban tax havens, all over the world.
- jose milton dos santos pestana barbosa May 7, 2016
  
  Read also THE HIDDEN WEALTH OF NATIONS - THE SCOURGE OF TAX HAVENS by Gabriel Zucman
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- javan pamba May 7, 2016
  
  yes tax havens make africa poor by leaders hiding 800bn dollrs of continents wealth and are also used to fund militias and terrorism
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