CORRUPTION AND AMERICA

INSIGHT AMERICA

CORRUPTION AND AMERICA

During my visit to America, the bankruptcy of the biggest national company - Enron occupied the front page of every newspaper and political circles. There was reason for worry since all political parties obtained money for the election expenses from this company in return for favors.

Abraham Lincoln said in 1864: I am much worried about the future of America from these national companies. Some Rich People wanted to reap the fruits of development among themselves. These people setting aside the common person wanted to rule the country thereby bringing bad name for independence and the nation. (Abraham Lincoln letter to Col. Williams Elkins-Nov 21, 1864) How true it is for America and India.

Recently when the state visit of Dalai Lama- He told that we could not tolerate some people cornering the wealth at the cost of millions of people suffering from hunger.

In 1999 There was commission set up to go into the details of how the Airlines were squeezing the clients by illegal means but later it was dropped- there were rumor millions of dollars exchanged in return.

Times published a report- Feb-7th, 2000-politics and bundle of currency. In it, it divided the people into 2-categories- First Citizen and second citizen.

First Citizen: Tax exception, changes in laws favoring him, debt relief, pay as you like it to Employees of their company.

Second Citizen: Tax after tax, raising prices and laws enforcement.

The 19th President of America said that instead of this nation for its people and by its people-, it has become for the Corporations and ruled by the Corporations.

Corruption is universal and there is no poor or rich for it. However, the degree of corruption is the one we have to worry.

A scale has been evolved to judge a country for corruption.

From 10 to 100 indexes- the higher the index, the more is the corruption. As per this norm-Vietnam stands first in corruption.

1.Viet Nam -90.75
2.Indonesia- 90.50.
3.India-90.25.
4.Philippines- 90.0.
5.Thailand- 80.75.
6.China-71.0.
7.South korea-70.0
8.Malaysia-60.0
9.America-17.70.
10.Singapore- 8.30.

Corruption in America is confined only financing the political parties.

R. Jagannathan.