Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude 21 – Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts, definitions, and impacts related to corruption, governance, and anti-corruption measures drawn from the lecture notes.

Corruption (academic definition)

The abuse of a position of trust or authority to gain an undue advantage.

Petty corruption

Small-time bribes and graft for routine services or to speed up processes (e.g., minor bribes to obtain documents).

Grand corruption

Large-scale bribery that involves substantial sums and often affects policy decisions; sometimes termed state sellout.

Meat-eating corruption

Active pursuit of bribes by an official; the “hungry shark” who seeks corruption as a primary career.

Grass-eating corruption

Passive acceptance of bribes when offered; the official does not actively seek bribes but may take them when presented.

Collusive corruption

Two or more parties (bribe giver and bribe receiver) conspire to gain mutual benefits and inflate costs.

Coercive corruption

Bribery obtained under pressure or force, where the beneficiary is the bribe receiver and the payer is coerced.

Nepotism

Favoring a family member in hiring, promotion, or opportunities.

Favoritism

Giving advantages to friends or associates regardless of merit.

Dynastic politics

Dynastic or family-based political choices and succession, often linked to nepotism.

Transparency International

NGO that defines and measures corruption globally and publishes the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)

A global index measuring perceived public-sector corruption in countries; higher scores mean less perceived corruption.

CPI scale interpretation

0 = highly corrupt; 100 = very clean; scores are perceptions, not a direct measure of actual corruption.

CPI 2023 top five

Denmark (90), Finland (87), New Zealand (85), Norway (84), Singapore (83) as leading performers.

CPI 2023 bottom ranks

Somalia (11) and others like Syria, South Sudan, Venezuela (177 with score around 30) at the bottom.

India’s CPI 2023 status

Rank 93 with score 39; the score has hovered around 39–40 in recent years.

World Bank finding on public funds

Approximately 10% of funds allocated to public projects are lost to corruption.

IMF inflation impact of corruption

Corruption can contribute to inflation increases of up to about 5%.

WHO finding on health funds

Up to 25% of public health funds may be lost to corruption.

Global Corruption Barometer (Asia 2020)

Survey results: about 42% paid bribes to police, 11% experienced sextortion, 63% feared retaliation.

Public awareness campaigns

Efforts to educate citizens, e.g., Jago Grahak Jago; awareness empowers demand for fair treatment.

Right to Information (RTI)

Legal framework for government transparency; exemptions should be minimized for maximum disclosure.

Whistleblower protections (US)

Legal safeguards (e.g., Whistleblower Protection Act, False Claims Act) with incentives for exposing fraud.

Estonia and e-governance

A model where ~99% of services are online; digital governance reduces corruption by increasing transparency and efficiency.

Blockchain for transparency

Immutable ledgers used in procurement and asset management to prevent record tampering and fraud.

Real-time financial monitoring

AI-driven tracking to flag unusual spending patterns and suspicious transactions as they occur.

Merit-based recruitment (Singapore)

Hiring and promotion based on merit to reduce nepotism and corruption in the public service.

Code of conduct and consequences

A formal set of ethical rules with clear disciplinary measures to deter corruption.

Social capital erosion

Corruption erodes trust and cooperation within society, undermining institutions and civic life.

Economic costs of corruption

Inflation, reduced GDP growth (approx. 1.7% annually per some studies), and misallocation of resources.

Environmental corruption costs

Illegal mining/deforestation and lax enforcement lead to ecological harm and long-term damage.