What are the effects of Corruption?

Corruption in high places affects the very fabric of the social system. It has many direct and indirect harmful effects. Some of the important ones are described below:

1. Corruption in high places reduces the faith of the people in the Government. The people expect high standards of morality from their rulers. When these standards are not met, it may result in the alienation of people from the Government.

2. Corruption increases the effective cost of administration. The people who are in any case paying to the Government for its services in the form of taxes are unofficially required to pay more to its officers.

3. The widespread corruption in the bureaucracy causes cynicism and social disunity. This may reduce the willingness of the people to make sacrifices for the economic development of the society.

4. Corruption comes in the way of making decision on merits. When the decisions are made on the basis of pecuniary benefits to be obtained from the transactions, the merit naturally gets the second place. There is even a possibility of sacrificing the national interest for the sake of these benefits. This may for example, happen in case of purchase of sub-standard arms, which may not be effective during a battle.

5. Corruption has a very adverse effect on the morale of the honest officers. In fact, it militates against the very basis of the principles of a pure bureaucracy. When the evaluation of work, placement and promotion are dependent on consideration other than merit, the whole system may be vulgarized and demoralized. Corruption has often resulted in a tremendous waste of national resources. For example, purchased goods not used for years result in the depreciation of goods as well as increase in inventory cost.