Many Avatars of Corruption

The Worst Form of Corruption: the Intellectual Corruption of the Elite

1. Congress stalwart hijacked by BJP

Power breeds Corruption; to put it other way: ‘hunger for power (and profit)’ breeds corruption.

Corruption is not limited only to 'cash and kind' as is popularly known or assumed. There is also 'Intellectual Corruption' caused by ideologies – isms, dogmas, religions, colour, race, language, regions, cults, faiths and greed for Power & Profit.

Intellectual Corruption, which is mainly noticed among the elite, is immeasurable form of corruption. History is witness; for example, ‘Holocaust’ in Nazi Germany, in the recent times.

In modern times, of course, the forms and vocabulary in these contexts have changed. For example, goons/mafias/slumlords extort money by terror from the wealthy as well as weaker sections of society.

The Intellectual Corruption of the Elite

While Food, Shelter and Clothing are primary needs of all the living beings, including humans, they are also equipped by Nature with FIVE AUTONOMOUS FUNCTIONS – WORK, LEISURE, HEALTH, LEARNING and PROPAGATION for their sustenance and survival. There is no other authority over these autonomous functions.

However, the civilized societies in general, and now, in modern times the Industrial Civilization, through its tentacles or tools (governments, institutions, legal aids, science, technologies, industry, trade and market) has taken control over these Autonomous Functions, even of the humans, to capitalize for power and profit. These tools encroach upon even in private domains of an individual and the collective.

Civilized Society by its very structure of centralized power of class/caste has the seeds of this corruption from its beginning 5000 years ago. The ruler class/caste collected taxes from the ruled – the weaker classes/castes for their protection, and the clergy class/caste performed worships, sacrifices and offerings on the altar of deity for the salvation after death of the believers — the so-called commoners.

Corruption in the Governments

If the personnel of a democratic government (legislators – ruling and opposition, executives, judiciary, law & order and other dept.), the government undertakings and institutions, planners and experts, during their duties could remember and think that they too are citizens of the nation, much of the burden, e.g., corruption, on the heads of the ‘Other’ citizens will be reduced.

“Constant Surveillance is the Price of Power.” — Alistair MacLean
Unlimited Power — Unlimited Piracy
Antidote: If people want to keep the power in their hands, they must continue to exercise constant surveillance over the governments, at least in the age of democracy.

Corruption starts at the Top rungs of societal organization. It then trickles down, like infamous theory of 'Trickle-Down Economy'.
Therefore, the movement against corruption, also, must start from grassroots – the masses.
Nelson Mandela too started the fight against corruption — the Appertained, which is intellectual corruption — at the bottom, the Masses.

But where is such a charismatic leader like Mandela or Gandhiji, who is ready to go for the personal suffering? Mandela had suggested: ‘study – study – study (the ways of the enemy)’! Who is the enemy in a democratic nation? What about Anti-corruption Law? But who shall enact such a law?

The moral of all the flashing media stories at present 2014 Election Season is: As a saying goes, one may fool many, but one cannot fool all, all the time. Politicians' Hidden Agendas (of ideologies and/or practices) is a known issue. Particularly ryot — India's large majority — cannot be fooled, though silent they may seem. Because they are witness to the ground reality they face daily.

Do the media adequately represent rural population of 833,087,662 persons living in the 638,588 villages, spread over 3,287,240 km2 area (Census 2011)? This large majority compels the power-hungry politicians to run to form alliances.

2. Big, Bigger, Biggest (Image Source: Hindustan Times)

We Indians may be theist, atheist or agnostic. Some may or may not believe in deity-worship, yet we believe in hero-worship, by our mindset of ages. The politicians take advantage of this Indian mindset (See; Illustrations).
In the present election propaganda, BJP or NDA has fielded a prime ministerial candidate; Congress or UPA has fallen for the bet!
Imagine, among 1200 million people there are only two candidates posing themselves to be Prime Ministerial candidates! It reminds us of Team India’s 12 cricket players out of 1200 million citizens!!

None thinks about our democratic setup is for electing a prime minister from the elected MPs; it is not like electing a presidential candidate as in the US. This indeed is a bad precedent, which could lead to a dictatorship of a dogma. This is dangerous for Democracy.

The worst example of Intellectual Corruption 

Human Energy

Industrial Societies monopolize earth's resources that belong to all the living beings that terrorize life on earth. It also colonizes weaker regions. Their modern creed – Science – so far could not discover how to use Seven Billion-plus ‘Human Energy’.
Is elite India following its lessons from the West? This calls for our unbiased introspection.
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NOTES:
Illustration 1- Image Source: Internet
Illustration 2- Image Source; Hindustan Times | READ MORE >> BJP links campaign to Sardar Patel statue | 28 Nov 2013 | Hindustan Times (Mumbai)

Remigius de Souza
Mumbai
09/04/2014

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