The impact of corruption on public policies: Money, politics and the neglect of the public interest
ONCE IN office, every government has the power to make, change and implement policies across a wide array of sectors. This, of course, is one of the most practical manifestations of governmental and political power. Public policy is the means through which governments make decisions about how to attend to various problems in the society: education; crime; health; taxation; poverty; and so on. Such decisions should be informed by the public interest and the development goals of the country. However, corruption has ensured that, too often, private interest takes precedence over, and is not balanced against, the welfare of the general public.
Some of the prevailing cultural values in our society are so questionable that corrupt everyday citizens, party affiliates, party campaign donors and corrupt public officials can easily thwart the attempts of those who have a genuine interest in doing what is right and in solving public policy problems. The government, acting in its own self-interest, might also pursue a course of action with no potential to solve a public problem. In fact, in an attempt to genuflect to the wishes and aspirations of those who wield power, financial, social or political, the government might make a decision that exacerbates the problem the society is expecting it to solve. This, indeed, is why it is so crucial to consider the serious implications of allowing corruption to thrive in our society. It is a clear danger to development and a problem-solving approach.
Money is an important source of power and influence in any society – this is not a moot point. Money is often used to bribe public officials, and money laundering and other financial crimes usually involve some kind of fraud or bribery. There are very good reasons why countries such as Denmark, New Zealand, Finland and Sweden have not only put measures in place to tackle the problem of both active and passive bribery, but have also enforced these measures. These are countries that are serious about social well-being and economic stability, and have consistently ranked high on the Human Development Index.