Moral Values, Corruption and Business Culture
It is highly unfortunate to learn that corruption exists everywhere and money drives moral values of many. This is much so in the developing world where there is less governance and more poverty. These basic values shape the business and the political culture of a country. Understanding such issues is extremenly important for any executive before he/she lays his first step in another country.
On my recent visit to India, before exiting the airport on my arrival, I was stopped by the customs officer and a policeman who asked me the details about all the electronic items I was carrying. They wanted to know when and for how much I bought my personal laptop, camera and the iphone. To my surprise, they were suggesting me to pay import duty on all these personal items even though they were old and were not gifts. I wasted a half hour arguing with three people only to realise that they will not let me go unless I tip (bribe) them or go through the red channel custom clearance who would open up each and everything in my bag and put some duty on it (I learned this later from my relative who works at the airpoort). To avoid further delays after a long journey and fearing the unexpected,I had to unfortunately turn in $20 to those guys. May be I did so also because I was brought up in the country and I knew how the system works. I felt sick about this and myself so I called up my uncle who holds a high position in civil services and gave him all the information. The three officers at the airport were later charged. But this is an exceptional and a case at a small scale. Most of the times corruption goes unnoticed.and the system remains unchanged. Because both people using and driving the system have learnt and accepted to live this way, such things have been ingrained into the business culture of India and many many other countries in the world.
Moreover, many companies, even international organisations that make everyday products for us have chosen to exploit the system to conduct business in India.
Most of the communities in India (such as Bengali), are succumbed in ‘Culture of Poverty’(a theory introduced by an American anthropologist Oscar Lewis), irrespective of class or economic strata, lives in pavement or apartment. Nobody is at all ashamed of the deep-rooted corruption, decaying general quality of life, worst Politico-administrative system, weak mother language, continuous absorption of common space (mental as well as physical, both). We are becoming fathers & mothers only by self-procreation, mindlessly & blindfold. Simply depriving their(the children) fundamental rights of a decent, caring society, fearless & dignified living. Do not ever look for any other positive alternative behaviour (values) to perform human way of parenthood, i.e. deliberately co-parenting of those children those are born out of ignorance, real poverty. All of us are being driven only by the very animal instinct. If the Bengali people ever be able to bring that genuine freedom (from vicious cycle of ‘poverty’) in their own life/attitude, involve themselves in ‘Production of Space’(Henri Lefebvre), at least initiate a movement by heart, decent & dedicated Politics will definitely come up.
- Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay, 16/4, Girish Banerjee Lane, Howrah-711101, India.