What Are Solutions to Corruption?
There are several strategies to help curtail political corruption, including engaging the media in covering high-profile corruption cases, changing public attitudes and establishing organizations to study and solve corruption at all levels of government. Government corruption occurs at all levels, including municipal, state and federal. In some areas, governments are more corrupt than others.
Generally, political corruption is most rampant in developing nations, where central power typically rests in the hands of a few elites. Widespread corruption can hamper the ability of nations to achieve progress, and can damage their relationships with other countries. On a smaller scale, corruption can tarnish the reputation of the affected politician, costing him or her the trust of the public, and can sway public opinion in different directions.
Methods used to control corruption vary depending on the location, politician in question and the scope of corruption. Some places, such as Hong Kong, have entire institutions devoted to combating corruption. Hong Kong has an anti-corruption agency called the Independent Commission Against Corruption, which initiates large-scale investigations and undertakes public outreach and education campaigns to help people understand why corruption is bad and what can be done to stop it. In the long term, enacting policies, laws and regulations creating punishments for corruption can control corruption cases on a smaller scale.
