SOCIAL POLLUTION & CORRUPTION PERCEPTION LEVEL

IN GLOBAL CONTEXT

Mirza Arshad Ali Beg

Former Director General (P&D) PCSIR

136-C, Rafahe Aam Housing Society, Malir Halt, Karachi-75210

arshadalibeg@gmail.com

Deviation of national polity from its course of development which is to secure the maximum good for the well being of the maximum people, shows the governing hierarchy of the country are not keeping the greater good of the people in mind and is polarized by indulging in dichotomy. When this deviation is compounded by various components of social degeneration, more appropriately termed social pollution, viz. VIP culture, cronyism, patronage intrigue, manipulation, dishonesty, and incompetence, one gets the feeling that the society is getting degenerated and is sinking into the mess of social pollution. When the daily perception and experience is indicative of escalating inefficiency in administration and when people can not get their jobs done without giving a bribe in public dealing government offices, ministries and divisions, and also when dishonest and inefficient managers of the economy or the governance system escape with booty amassed during their tenure in office, it shows widespread corruption.

Corruption swells the informal economy through its handle of social pollution since business deals involving corrupt officials cannot be enforced in state courts and are only occasionally subjected to official rate of taxation. Business people rely on corrupt practices to pay fewer taxes, break legal rules and procedures and deal in informal economy. Since people pay fewer taxes, the state is not able to provide the services and public goods which are necessary for economic growth. The informal economy in Russia and Ukraine had in 1995 grown far larger than in Poland and was estimated at 42%, 49%, and 13% respectively.

Social Pollution is induced by rich countries of the north to use the competing commercial interests among the poor and developing countries of the south against one another. The multinational agencies and corporations, in collusion with their governments exploit the poor countries and their masses and the governing hierarchy of the countries aid this process of exploitation. Such groups are blinded by promises of luxuries and siphoning of dirty money, and have by promoting collaboration between the governing hierarchy and multinational corporations, MNCs done irreversible damages to their country. The collaboration helps the former in gaining control by keeping the masses economically, politically and socially impoverished and the latter in perpetuating their economic and political dominance.