How can we avoid corruption amongst politicians whom we elect to actually serve the country?

Question

BYGONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN PEOPLE CHOSE POLITICS TO SERVE A NATION. BUT POLITICS MEANS SERVICE TO NATION. TODAY'S POLITICIANS JUMP INTO THE FRAY NOT TO SERVE BUT TO MAKE MONEY. THE STUPIDEST PART IS THAT WE ELECT THEM. CAN'T WE HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE CERTAIN BASIC QUALIFICATIONS BE MADE MANDATORY TO ENTER POLITICS. BUT AGAIN, THESE DECISIONS NEED TO BE TAKEN BY THESE VERY POLITICIANS. WHERE DO WE AS PUBLIC STAND? I THINK THAT WE NEED TO REALLY PONDER ON THIS ISSUE. WE THINK THAT THE NEWER GENERATION OF POLITICIANS WILL BE DIFFERENT. BUT I DOUBT THEY ARE. WHAT CAN WE DO? ARE WE HELPLESS?

Answer 1

That would be very hard, since the entire system is so corrupt, and so entrenched. I guess one way of sending a signal, would be to vote all the incumbents out of office.

Answer 2

What an excellent question. Thank you for that...

Corruption can only be battled if the politicians want that. They are making the laws and they could establish a law that punishes corrupt politicians.

Since they are elected and (supposedly) want to serve their country, they should be held to the highest ethics. Therefore there should be a law that imposes draconian punishment in case a politician is convicted of corruption or any other crime.

Something like:
Mandatory life sentence without possibility of parole or appeal. His entire immediate family should receive the same sentence. All his worldly belongings should be confiscated and auctioned off.

I think a law like that would keep those people in line and make them think not only twice or thrice about the consequences before taking bribes. Not only that, but their relatives would keep a VERY close eye on them.

I am aware that a law like that sounds somehow unfair to politicians, but their exposed and unique position in our society enables them to change the course of society and this should come with a burden. If a politician really wants to serve his country, then he/she shouldn't be afraid of a law like that.

Answer 3

We should not reelect a person like that. Media should have an important role in disposing corrupted politician to the public.
We have in our country an independent agency which discover corruption among politicians, managers....It is quite effective, but this agency give all discovered cases to the court. The goal of agency is discovery of corruption.

P.S.: Hidimba: Your idea that a new politician is less corrupted than those who are in a position for years is totally wrong. It is known that politicians who are longer in positions make more connections with different people and they give each other "friendly" helps. They usually get control into all spheres and are more corrupted than the new ones.

Answer 4

I DO APPRERCIATE YOUR VIEW BUT THE TRAGEDY IS THAT IN INDIA THIS IS THE GAME THEY FIND IN COMMON. TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM IT REQUIRES RECONSTUCTION OF OUR BYE LAWS. IF ANY BODY CAUGHT RED HANDED THE CORRUPTION THEY ESCAPE COOLY FROM THAT.YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN THE NEWS PAPER THAT SO AND SO CAUGHT RED HANDED FOR CORRUPTION THAT IS ALL. THEN WHAT HAPPENS FURTHER TO HIM IS NOT KNOWN. BASICALLY THE RULE GOVERNING INDIA IS DEMOCRATIC METHOD AND FOR A N OFFENCE NO ACTION IS TAKEN REALLY. IF HE IS A FELLOW CONNECTED TO A BIG GUY THEN ESCAPISAM IS THE OTHER WAY.
I WAS A T SAUDI ARABIA FOR SIX YEARS , THERE THE OFFENDER IS NOT SPARED FOR ANY REASON THE PUNISHMENT FOLLOWS AUTOMATIDCALLY.
FOR INSTANCE THE SON OF KING SAUD HAD COMMITED A MURDER TO HIS FELLOW MAN. REMEMBER THAT HE IS THE HEIR FOR THE THRONE OF SAUDI ARABIA.BUT THE LAW IS SO STRICT THAT WHOM SO EVER IT BE THE OFFENDER WILL BE PUNISHED AS PER THE LAW. THE KING TOOK A MEETING ALONG WITH THE RELEIGIOUS LEADERS AND THE DECISION TAKEN FOR THE SON IS NOT TO SAVE HIM. ON THE CONTRARY HE WOULD BE PUNISHED FOR THE MURDER BY CUTTING HIS HEAD . SINCE HE WAS THE NEXT HEIR TO THE THRONE THE KING SAUD SAID HIS NECK SHOULD NOT BE CUT OFF WITH THE SAME KNIFE USED FOR OTHERS. THEY HAVE ORDERED A GOLD SWORD AND WITH THAT ONLY HIS NECK WAS CUT OFF.
EVEN TODAY IT IS KEPT AS A MONUMENT IN THE KINGDOM IN THE PALACE WITH THE STORY WRITTEN.
EVEN IF HE IS THE SON INFRONT OF LAW THERE IS NO ESCAPISAM FOR THE OFFENDER.
THAT IS NOT IN INDIA MONEY PLAYS A ROLE IN MAKING THIS OFFENDER TO COME OUT OF THE CRIME.
AS LONG AS THIS PATTEREN OF RULING IS NOT CHANGED WHY CORREPTION? RAPES. DECOITY.HOUSE BREAKS.MURDERS ALL HAPPENS.
SO THE FEAR OF THE PUNISHMENT IS NOT THERE AND THAT WAY EVERY ONE TURNS TO SHIELD FOR THE CRIMINALS.THE REAL HONESTY IS LOST AND THE WAY OF LIVING IN ANY SECTOR IS TO MAKE THE MONEY BY ANY MEANS SO BY AN OVER NIGHT DO NOT DREAM THAT THINGS WILL CHANGE. THE TIME ALONE SHOULD HEAL THIS.

Answer 5

i think whoever is the current one is the best, cause whoever new takes place again does the same thing which the earlier one did, so i guess a person who is in this job doing it for long time is the best rather than changing leader every year. Everyone know their job very well, it's pretty easy to blame them from far away, if we will sit on that chair than we will realize what politics is. i don't think corruption would ever end. the only thing we can do for our country is stop giving bribes, automatically it give pressure on corruption.

Answer 6

When this Nation was founded it was in a more simpler time ,when high ideals were the norm.
Now we live in an age of thousands of special interest groups all at the trough waiting for their cut...that's today's government.How can you challenge a Monster as big as this without offending someone who has just as good or worse intentions as you?

Answer 7

A singe term (not more than four years) and out they go. Think how refreshing it would be to rid ourselves of career politicians. It was never suppose to be a career. They limited the president to two terms, but the congress stays there until they die, not good.

Hmm, public hanging does have its appeal.

Answer 8

We should continue to elect them, that gives us power. We should also assume that every politician is corrupt (guilty until proved innocent?) and continue watching over them, and those that are caught with their hands in the Cookie jar should be punished severely.

Answer 9

You are very fortunate, at least your ellected ones stand a chance. In South Africa we sit with a black corrupted goverment and our votes make no impact in a country that is 90% black. We are forced to follow rules we did not vote for in a country we built up.

Answer 10

A big step in the right direction would be for everyone to vote.