Corruption
What is Corruption?
Every institution, be it an institution of the state or one that is privately owned, gives executive decision making powers to individuals within it. For example, a company CEO will have executive power over the high level direction of the company, and a police officer will have the executive power to issue fines on behalf of the state, for certain minor offences. When an individual uses the executive powers given to them in a way that undermines the institution but benefits themselves, it is known as 'corruption'.
How does Corruption Affect Society?
There is corruption in every institution in the world, but it does vary greatly by degree. Some countries are known for high levels of corruption in all institutions, while others are relatively low. Since the health of institutions is so important for the functioning of society, the presence of corruption has a huge impact on regional prosperity.
There are a few factors which appear to have a large impact on the presence of corruption.
- Culture. Where people see corruption as morally acceptable, or something they turn a blind eye to, it of course is more prevalent. In some places corruption is even seen as a moral imperative, those are the regions where it is believed that benefiting yourself and your family is of greater moral importance than meritocracy.
- Honesty. Studies have shown that honesty varies quite dramatically by country. Countries with higher levels of honesty have also had a history with better functioning institutions.
- Accountability. While individuals in an institution are granted the ability to make executive decisions, they don't have to be granted unconditionally. When they can be held responsible for the decisions that they make, that can change just how desirable it is to make a decision which undermines the institution.
- Transparency. Most corruption happens behind closed doors. In addition to avoiding accountability, the possibility of social shame makes many not wish to engage in it in a publicly visible way.
Corruption in Steem
The Steem Network is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). It is an institution. The healthy functioning of this institution, the value of it to society and to stakeholders, depends on low corruption like any other.
Witnesses are granted the most executive power in the Steem Network, the ability to produce blocks (and therefore the ability to censor transactions, at least with consensus of other witnesses). They are not the only ones though, every stakeholder in the network (and thus every account holder) has some executive power. We all have the power to elect witnesses and we have continuous decision making power over the fiscal budget. Every time we make a vote, we have the opportunity to be corrupt. We can vote to benefit ourselves, we can vote to benefit our close friends or we can vote to benefit the network. These aren't mutually exclusive but they are frequently in opposition.
What is unique to Steem is that every user action is transparent to all. Those who engage in corruption must do it in the light of day, and may be forced to justify themselves to the community where otherwise they would have only the easier hurdle of justifying it to themselves.
Conclusion
Corruption undermines institutions. Steem is an institution that can be undermined by corruption like any other. We all have the opportunity to be corrupt, but we can also work to make Steem less susceptible to the problems of corruption. In order for Steem to succeed, we will need to recognize corruption, not allow it to become the socially accepted norm. We need to hold those who engage in it accountable. In the end with a more valuable network and a more valuable token, everyone will benefit from minimizing corruption.
Corruption in steemit. I just thought about this after reading your article. May I resteem this article?
Of course, no need to ask permission for that IMO. :-)
Oh dear, it looks like somebody wasn't happy with you pointing out that corruption exists on steemit. Flagging might be one of the most brutal forms of corruption on here. I mean, I support the idea of being able to flag something if it's abusive but I think it's very unfair when someone with a lot of SP can downvote something and make it invisible (and remove the rewards for the author) just because they don't like when somebody starts speaking the truth.
It seems to me that corruption exists in any country. It is immortal, like a mafia.
In my country unfortunately the corruption is already spread everywhere.
The really honest few try at all costs to fight this evil, but we are a minority.
Thanks for sharing!
Upvoted.
nice article @demotruk i wouldnt thought that your topic on corruption will direct to steemit. For me ive been very much expose in corruption, im from the Philippines, and if your a politician or goverment official here its like second nature that you will be engage in corruption but there is still SOME who are not blinded by money (i hope ther would be more) . Nice article about corruption
Excellent article. While most can agree that corruption is amoral, consensus on what actually constitutes corruption seems impossible to achieve.
While I would be of the persuasion that there is something cringeworthy about upvoting your own work, some unblinkingly broadcast that they use 80% of their daily votes on themselves and 20% on others.
My own policy is to upvote those who exhibit, what I consider, community minded behaviour, and do not consistently reward themselves for their own content.
I am condemning no one. Each is entitled to do as he sees fit. Perhaps each of us in our own small way can use what influence we have to ensure that corruption does not become the accepted norm, at least here on Steemit.
as an auditor in my work every time i see people involved in corruption, and it is very common that people for a little money, lose their work, their personality because if you were found involved in act of corruption you would going to the jail.
in latinoamerican culture the corruption is the mos common, specially in the government, but i think the private sector has a lot of responsability, because their paid for the corruption, for get more government services, or cuotes for something.
when you are an auditor you should and have the responsability for make better and good thing for get good segurity for the board of administration and the stakeholders, about their investment are good.
thanks a lot good information.
I suggest you change the title to "Corruption and steem" or "Corruption on steem" or somesuch.
I'd be interested to read more about flagging and the practicalities of "fighting corruption" on Steemit.
I get what you're talking about, that makes sense, but...
Upvoting your own blogs means you are corrupted on steemit? :d
There are no right or wrong. Steem is an investment for many people.
And most of people below 5k steem say about corruption, inequality or other screaming topic because of greed and desire to get to whale lvl and then upvote the sht of themselves too lol.
I'm thinking how to make steem more stable, but i don't know. They can make a patch to cut the maximum voting power. But people will just build more accounts and divide their tokens.
Not necessarily. It can be blatantly selfish though and often is. All you need to be corrupt is have some power to abuse. On Steem, everyone has at least a little power, giving everyone the opportunity to be at least a little corrupt.
I actually believe that in the western society we do not value friends and family enough. It is only natural that I treat a friend different from a stranger, what point is there in friendship if I don't? Sure this can lead to family clans or other (secret) societies, but if a friend asks me for help I am much more inclined to help him than a random stranger.
I am all for fighting corruption and I think honesty, responsibility, transperency and non-aggression are important values - not only on Steemit. But it is much more fun to talk about the differences, then if I would describe l all the points you made, that I agree with ;)