UPSC Mains 2014 · GS IV · Q5(b) · 10 marks · 150 words

It is often said that poverty leads to corruption. However, there is no dearth of instances where affluent and powerful people indulge in corruption in a big way. What are the basic causes of corruption among people? Support your answer with examples.

हिन्दी में

अक्सर कहा जाता है कि निर्धनता भ्रष्टाचार की ओर प्रवृत्त करती है। परन्तु, ऐसे भी उदाहरणों की कोई कमी नहीं है जहाँ सम्पन्न एवं शक्तिशाली लोग बड़ी मात्रा में भ्रष्टाचार में लिप्त हो जाते हैं। लोगों में व्याप्त भ्रष्टाचार के आधारभूत कारण क्या हैं? उदाहरणों के द्वारा अपने उत्तर को सम्पुष्ट कीजिए।

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “The sharper the socio-economic disparities, the greater the incentive towards corruption. Analyse.”

Vishakha YadavAIR 6 · CSE 2019 · 191 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a figure

Oxfam India highlighted that 1% of the population held 73% of country's wealth.

Body · points

Such sharp socio-economic disparities coupled with cultural historical factors make a country 'den of corruption'.

Various reasons such as lack of an agency, bare minimum sustainence, opportunities deficit, occupational distress (farm sector), inadequate Govt support prompts people to go for unethical corrupt means to fulfil their needs.

Transparency International (TI) highlighted that India ranks 78 in 2019 showing high corruption level. The lower strata and rung of administration is driven by slogan 'corruption is needed to grease the wheels of administration' (ARC).

Globally, the African arc of instability has countries such as Botswana, Ghana, Nigeria facing resource curse and crime marred with unprecedented corruption.

We have Afghanistan with lower (0.3) HDI value showing high levels of political corruption.

As contrast to this, Sri Lanka our neighbourhood with more equitable society has lower corruption than India.

Globally, scandanian countries such as Denmark, Sweden have almost zero levels of corruption showing highly equitable standard of living.

Close · a way forward

Inclusive, Equitable and sustainable growth is thus need of the hour to weed out corruption rotting the life and breath of country - [SC]

5 more toppers’ answers to this question, part by part, and how they all approached it: open the question.

Toppers’ answers to other close questions

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2014, General Studies Paper IV, Q5(b). The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.