Bribery - 1
To what extent do you agree that bribery is immortal? immortal?
Academic Reading and Writing Course EWR 1211 Yelena Bitsenko 28 February 2010
Bribery - 2 Outlines
To what extent do you agree that bribery is immortal?
Thesis statement: Although nowadays bribery is perceived as a part of people’s mentality, and it’s
very difficult to make it disappear, it is possible at least to reduce its level. First of all, all people around the world are concerned about the problem of bribery. 1) failures in economy
2) increased indignation of people
Secondly, more and more laws, strict regulations and anti-corruption movements are brought to control bribery. 1) anti-bribery Convention
2) anti-corruption campaigns
However, people still argue about its urgency, because bribery is perceived by them as a common thing, it’s convenient for them, and everyone at least once resorted to it. 1) corrupted mentality
2) convenient solution of problems
Bribery - 3
To what extent do you agree that bribery is immortal?
With the development of almost every country’s economic and financial domain, it is becoming becoming more more difficult to to bring the increasing increasing corruption corruption under under control, control, or at least find the the way to avoid it. According to Transparency International CPI (Corruption Perception Index) statistics in 2009: more than 100 countries have index lower than 5, what means that corruption level there is high. CPI is giving the results of 13 independent surveys showing the countries of the world according to the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians. politicians. Bribery is a subject about which people people hold strongly strongly contrasting views, views, depending depending on person’s position position in relation to bribery: bribery: being involved involved in it, or being restrained. restrained. Although Although nowadays bribery is perceived as a part of people’s mentality, and it’s very difficult to make it disappear, it is possible at least to reduce its level. First of all, all people around the world are concerned about the problem of corruption. Corruption is such type of problem that influences in many directions covering many domains, especially economy. There's no any doubt that bribery, which is endemic emerging in economies around the world, creating inefficiency and put the economic development into a total chaos. What is bribery? Bribery is - specific offence which concerns the practice of offering something, something, usually money, money, to gain an illicit advantage. Bribery is definitely the most widespread form of the corruption which is - abuse of a position of trust in order to gain an undue advantage. advantage. Connection Connection between corruption corruption and development is obvious. The more corrupted is government, the more underdeveloped country is. It’s affecting decisions decisions made by government; government; decrease the quality of its power, discouraging discouraging foreign foreign investm investment ent.. Nowaday Nowadayss busines businessma sman, n, politica politicall leaders, leaders, specifie specifiess bribery bribery as one of the biggest biggest threats to global economic economic development. development. Corrupt Corrupt countries countries are apt to lose out in the global competition; people in financial domain offended by collapsing economies now start to demand on money strongly. High levels of corruption reduce economic growth.
Bribery - 4 In international business it’s notified that number of countries in which they expect big bribe demands demands has risen amazingly. amazingly. By recent research of Transparency Transparency International International it was mentioned that 72 of 102 countries surveyed were likely places for executives to be hit up for bribes. Consequence Consequencess of this may be very discouraging discouraging.. According According to (“Tackling (“Tackling Bribery and Corruption, 2005) Bribery and corruption have serious consequences for companies operating in an international business environment. In such an environment, companies are operating under serious pressure, competition is stiff and margins are tight. This, in conjunction with trying to adapt to unfamiliar legal systems, conventions and specific political circumstances, can make doing business very difficult. There is therefore much depending on whether a company can win a contract, obtain a license or market a product in good time. The consequences of bribery and corruption are very serious from an economic perspective, with the World Bank estimating that 0.5% of GDP is lost each year. It also creates and unfavorable business environment, particularly in relati relation on to trade trade and and Fore Foreign ign Direc Directt Inve Investm stmen entt and and it allo allows ws orga organiz nized ed crime crime to thriv thrivee unimpeded. Corruption once appeared less of a problem for economic development, but this view has changed. Corruption is seen as a problem that affects economies, and which leads to popular demonstrations against it. Corruption is now an issue that brings the crowds out on to the streets. Indignation of ordinary people around the world is growing every day. Few of today's graft-ridden governments can build up the habits of mind that limit corruption. Many are the politicians who have sought power by appealing to popular indignation over corruption only to turn a blind eye once they have won it. International measures to tackle bribery have become possible because ordinary people who are concerned about the problem have the support of businessmen, law makers and aid donors who have joined together. Corruption has a far reaching negative effect on the national psyche which eventually goes back to undermine undermine the whole whole system of good governance governance itself. itself. A few years ago, the protesters on the street were on their own. To dispense dispensers rs of aid and writers of global rules, the case for resisting
Bribery - 5 corruption looked weak. Some economists distinguished between some types of corruption, but they are slower now to argue that any of them is good.
Nor is popular indignation indignation a reliable weapon against against corruption (Transparency International, 2005). In many countries the politics of corruption is too much like the politics of resentment: the
angry demonstrators rarely distinguish between the inequalities created by an honest system and those those perpe perpetu tuate ated d by a corru corrupt pt one. one. And And becau because se of this this misu misund nder ersta standi nding ng,, gove governm rnmen entt is staggered by rising of indignation. Without any actions people won’t be able to get rid of it, and if just sit and complain that corruption corruption is bad, nothing will change. change. But this indignation indignation should be signific significant ant for gover governme nment, nt, for politica politicall leaders. leaders. Disappo Disappointe inted, d, deceived deceived,, angry angry crowd crowd is very very powerful powerful weapon weapon of all times.
Second Secondly ly more more and more more laws, laws, strict strict regulat regulations ions and anti-corru anti-corruptio ption n moveme movements nts are brought brought to control control bribery. bribery. Corruption Corruption has very deep position, position, biggest biggest part of all countries countries is corru corrupte pted, d, and and that’ that’ss why why reduci reducing ng level level of corru corrupt ption ion is beco becomin ming g very very urge urgent. nt. To bring bring corruption corruption under control in developing developing countries, The OECD Anti-Bribery Anti-Bribery Convention Convention (officially OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions) Transactions) was signed in December 1997 and came into force in February 1999.
This Convention was aimed exactly at reducing corruption level in developing countries by supp suppor ortin ting g sanct sanction ionss again against st bribe bribery ry in inter internat natio iona nall busin busines esss transa transacti ction onss carrie carried d out out by companies based in the convention member countries. Everyone who signed it, were required to add legislation, which will criminalize act of bribing a foreign public official.
The OECD OECD has has no auth author orit ity y to impl implem emen entt the the conv conven enti tion on,, but but inst instea ead d moni monito tors rs implementation by participating countries. Countries are responsible for implementing laws and regulations that conform to the convention and therefore provide for enforcement. The OECD performs performs its monitoring monitoring functio function n in a two-phase two-phased d examination examination process. process. Phase Phase I consists consists of a review review
Bribery - 6 of legislation implementing the conventions in the member country with the goal of evaluating the adequacy of the laws. Phase 2 assesses the effectiveness with which the legislation is applied.
Countries which signed the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, German Germany, y, Greece, Greece, Hunga Hungary, ry, Iceland, Iceland, Ireland Ireland,, Israel, Israel, Italy, Italy, Japan, Japan, South South Korea, Korea, Luxem Luxembou bourg, rg, Mexico, Mexico, Netherlands, Netherlands, New Zealand, Zealand, Norway, Norway, Poland, Poland, Portugal, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spai Spain, n, Swed Sweden en,, Swit Switze zerl rlan and, d, Turk Turkey ey,, Unit United ed King Kingdo dom, m, Unit United ed Stat States es..
With ith
a
corr corrup upti tion on,,
becoming becoming more and more serious problem, problem, more regulations regulations and different anti-corruption anti-corruption campaign organized all over the world by different types of people, organizations, and companies. But the aim is one - to get rid of it corruption or at least to prevent its further spreading. Almost everywhere now, in the countries which have been strongly affected, campaigns for a fight against corruption are created. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) – launched anticorruption corruption campaign in 24 November November 2008. It was created to prevent negative impact on country, country, individuals, individuals, society by corruption. The National National Anti-corruption Anti-corruption Campaign Campaign Steering Committee Committee (NACCSC) was formally appointed through a Gazette Notice No 4124 of May 28th, 2004 with the aim of creating awareness and to mobilize Kenyans eradicate Corruption. Members of its group are representing entire nation including government, organizations, civil society, private sector and etc. Croatian Government launched a 2.36 million anti-corruption campaign to increase knowledge about about harmfu harmfulnes lnesss of the corrupt corruption. ion. Russian Russian Defense Defense Ministe Ministerr launche launched d Large-Sc Large-Scale ale AntiAntiCorruption campaign. It happened after inspection which revealed many violations and involved discharg discharging ing of many many military military official officialss and field field officers officers.. Anti-Co Anti-Corru rruptio ption n campaig campaign n is still still remaining as a very hot topic. Corruption is everywhere, and it’s very strong, but unless there are people ready to to struggle struggle against against it, country country will will have chance chance to get get rid of of it.
However, people still argue about its urgency, because bribery is perceived by them as a common thing, it’s convenient for them, and everyone at least once resorted to it. This is another
Bribery - 7 side of this problem – mentality, which allows people to use bribery, despite its harmful for country. Bribery is becoming so common and so usual, that people just don’t understand that we won’t be able to change ourselves to avoid corruption. Saying simply, many countries cannot avoid corruption until people will understand that bribery is lead only to underdevelopment of the country. And fact, that they think, there is no need in solution of this problem is normal for everyone. Everybody satisfied with their status. Consequences of corruption impact most on global conditio condition n of country country,, not on individ individual ual person. person. Individ Individual ualss are able to underst understand and effect effect of corruption only when they are becoming victims of it. That’s why almost nobody cares about it. People just don’t feel it, see it. To at least reduce the level of corruption they should start from at least some actions of commitment towards creating good government. According to (Balboa & Medalla, 2006) discussion of corruption is almost always conducted within the framework of good
governance.
Remember your usual life, in country, there is no person, who had never resorted to bribery, bribery, and not because all people are so corrupted and morally spoilt. It’s because of corrupted corrupted menta mentalit lity y of whol wholee coun country try,, gove governm rnment ent,, polit politica icall leade leaders, rs, comp compan anies ies,, intern internati ation onal al or multinational. There are millions of examples that could be given to prove that bribery is part of our everyday’s life. Doesn’t matter if you standing in a queue, or sitting on reception at the doctor, or waiting for your documents to be done, or your car to be repaired, or television to be set... It’s more comfortable and convenient to give a small bribe, gift and get what you want faster or better, not wasting time. There are thousands of such examples, but the meaning is one. Until we’ll be able to get rid of bribery inside us, it will be very difficult to reduce its level globally.
Conclu Concludin ding, g, it’s obvious obvious that nowaday nowadayss it’s very very difficu difficult lt to avoid avoid the corrup corruptio tion, n, and bribery. bribery. Corruption Corruption causes failures in economy, economy, losing in global global competition, competition, people start to lose their jobs and their indignation is rising. Deceived crowd is very dangerous weapon, and every
Bribery - 8 government government does some measures measures to prevent it. OECD Anti-Bribery Anti-Bribery Convention Convention sure is very good step, but even here in all this countries people immediately after entering this Convention started to think in which way to avoid the laws and rules of it. Anti-bribery campaign is also effective way to discriminate corruption, and people should pay more attention to it. Bribery has so deep position in our nowadays life, we cannot done anything, because we’re using very often. And what I think shoul should d be reall really y done, done, is very very strict strict cont control rol in gove governm rnment ent,, whic which h will will invol involve ve contr control ol of international companies, political sphere and etc. We cannot reduce the corruption level, until we’ll be able to reduce reduce it in ourselve ourselves. s.
References Balboa, J, & Medalla, E.M. (2006). Anti-corr (2006). Anti-corruption uption and governa governance: nce: the philippine philippine experience experience.. How Bribery Bribery and and other other types of of corruption corruption threaten threaten the global marketplace marketplace.. (2002, october 23).
Bribery - 9 Stephen, P. (2009). Buying (2009). Buying your way way into heaven: heaven: educatio education n and. and. Rotterdam: Sense Tackling bribery and corruption. corruption. (2005). Dublin: (Transparency (Transparency International, International, 2004) 2004) Global Global war war against against bribery. bribery. Retriev Retrieved ed from from Ebscoh Ebscohost ost database.
Working bibliography Bennet. D. (2003) Corruption as a Weapon, Compliance as a Shield? OGEL Edwin, C, & Moore, Jr. (2007). Causes of demand for international bribery. bribery . Vol. 12(2), 12(2),
Bribery - 10 (Global Policy Forum, 2009). General Analysis on Corruption and Money Laundering Government corruption news articles. articles. (2002, january 29). CBS , Litvack, K. (2007) Bribery (2007) Bribery and Corruptio Corruption: n: A Corpor Corporate ate Governance Governance Concern? Concern? OGEL Mironov, M. (2005). Bad (2005). Bad corruptio corruption, n, good good corruption corruption and growth. growth. Moran, Moran, T.H. (2007). FCPA Digest of Cases and Review Releases Releases Relating Relating to Bribes to Foreign Foreign Officials under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 OGEL 1977 OGEL (Transparency Kazakhstan, 2006). To the Businessman about corruption counteraction Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2005 (2005) OGEL
