Corruption has several forms and
dimensions: Economic, Political and Social. If we try examining, we will find
that the drive that propels one to commit a corrupt practice is the “need for
power” which for most of the times remains a precursor to enhanced social
prestige and position or perhaps hegemony. In simple words a deliberate
permutation and combination in one`s activity that leads to enhanced position
and prestige of an individual or group or a community or a society or a nation
can be put in to the broad spectrum of corruption. All this has indirect
correlation with material benefits that power can provide easy accessibility
to. The scope of material need determines the extent of the need for power and
thus of corruption. Therefore, materialism is the prime precursor of the entire
above mentioned social, political and economic phenomenon called corruption.
The contemporary mobilizations of
few thousand people by Ramdev , Anna and the respective teams apparently claim
to stand for weeding out corruption from the face of this country. I have still
not understood what corruption they are talking about? Is it the one which an
effective Lokpal will take care of i.e. by checking accountabilities and putting
the offenders on trials? Or is it against the basic framework of society and in
turn our social consciousness that has translated in our subconscious minds? Or
is it against the material condition that has led to such social structures in
the form of caste and class hierarchies which are actively involved since time immemorial
in making possible the exploitation of man by a man? And if it is not against
these social institutions then I would ask why it is not?? The answer lies in
the fact they are active proponents of the existing structures and very much in
the race of materialism. Expecting something against corruption from the ones
who are soaked in to it to me seems to be an utopian concept. And it applies to
all not only Anna or Ramdev or their teams for that matter. No one can give a
corruption free society unless I and you pledge honestly against it.
Corruption is a behavior. The social
environment that sows its seed, irrigates it and cultivates it is what needs to
be fought against. The constructs of power, prestige and position should be
redefined in context of a progressive social structure which the new generation
has to sow seeds of. The material conditions needs to be made accessible to one
and the all in the same proportion as their demand or perhaps some more
scientific social set up needs to be planned out. I would like to quote Bhagat
Singh in my own language; item by item we have to question our faith till we
find a reason in our existing faith or else a new faith based on reason and
rationality has to be created.
Freedom to our country shall never
come in reality till we have institutions that make the exploitation of man by
another man possible. And this exploitation is the ultimate form of corruption
that has to be fought upon. It is not “they” but I and you who have to be
accountable enough before Lokpal comes and checks us.. Jai Hind!
