26 August 2025, 11:30
From time immemorial, rulers have claimed a sacred right to power — not merely to govern, but to transgress the very laws they themselves create.
This paradox is not a flaw in political life but its engine. Corruption, far from being an aberration, functions as a lubricant in the machinery of the state, ensuring both continuity and fairness in the distribution of privileges according to the “true roles” of its participants.
Bribery as Efficiency
What some call bribery, others may describe as “accelerated service fees.”
Extra payments speed up the delivery of public services.
Monetary gratitude motivates officials more than official salaries ever could, reducing strain on the national budget.
Informal payments stimulate healthy competition among citizens.
Corruption rents, paradoxically, inspire innovation within the state sector.
Nepotism as Meritocracy
In its own logic, nepotism is nothing less than a principle of merit.
Appointing relatives ensures loyalty beyond any legal contract.
Familial succession preserves institutional memory — “state wisdom” passed across generations.
Dynasties create durable ruling lineages.
Clan-based structures form cohesive teams of like-minded administrators.
Administrative Resources as Just Compensation
Why should public office not provide private dividends?
Using one’s position for personal benefit is but a lawful compensation for the hardships of a life spent in service.
Business–state alliances produce synergistic outcomes.
Government procurement from “trusted suppliers” guarantees quality.
Bureaucratic barriers protect the economy from unfair competition.
The Sacred Principles of Corrupt Ethics
Confidentiality: Transactions occur discreetly, not to undermine but to safeguard the reputation of institutions.
Tradition: Abuse of power is not a deviation but an ingrained part of national culture, woven into the historic fabric of governance.
Economic Justifications
Economists have long found reasons to see corruption as rational.
Redistributive Theory: Corruption reallocates resources from those who cannot use them effectively to those who can — with the added benefit that corrupt officials tend to spend more than average citizens, stimulating demand.
Hidden Taxation: Bribes are a voluntary and flexible tax, scaled according to urgency.
Stimulating Payments Doctrine: Informal bonuses compensate for chronic underfunding of the public sector, raising the quality of services.
Social Benefits
Corruption, beyond its costs, generates its own peculiar public goods:
Employment: Entire ecosystems of middlemen, consultants, and facilitators.
Entrepreneurship: Creativity thrives in designing bypasses and workarounds.
Social Cohesion: Durable personal and business ties emerge among participants.
Mobility: The most motivated citizens gain faster access to their goals.
International Models
Leading world powers long ago institutionalized corruption under different labels:
Lobbying — the civilized purchase of decisions.
Foundations and Grants — elegant forms of gratitude for loyalty.
Consulting — intellectualized bribery.
Charity — tax-optimized kickbacks.
Conclusion
Corruption is not “evil.” It is an evolutionary adaptation of governance to the real needs of society. Every attempt to eradicate it merely transforms it into subtler, more sophisticated forms. To understand corruption not as pathology but as natural law is to finally grasp why power exists: not to prevent abuse, but to sanctify it.