Crime and corruption as forms of business<\/p>\n
By Mochtar Buchori<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): It has been said that among gangsters, killing
\nis just \"business\". It is something that has to be done for
\nsurvival. As such, it should be done efficiently. A true gangster
\nnever kills in anger. In most cases the gangster approaches the
\nvictim in a friendly manner, chats with the victim, he may even
\ninvite the victim for a drink, and then he strikes without
\nwarning. The job is done, and the gangster goes away quietly.<\/p>\n
In cases like this, gangsters seem to follow Jean Rostand's
\nadage which says that when one kills a person, one is an
\nassassin; when one kills millions, one is a conqueror; and when
\none kills everybody, one is god. This may be the reason why some
\ngangsters kill indiscriminately, and often do so without
\nprovocation. Killing seems to make some people feel that they
\nhave the power of life and death over others.<\/p>\n
In a healthy society, corruption is practiced by a small
\nminority of greedy people, those who are materially well off but
\nstill want more. In a corrupt society, cheating and stealing are
\nso common as to be considered normal, even when the perpetrators
\nare prominent personalities.<\/p>\n
No amount of wrongdoing can taint the reputation of these
\nprominent personalities and in this way corruption eventually
\nbecomes a normal occurrence that is an integral part of daily
\nlife. Thomas Fuller (1608-1661) once pronounced that \"a thief
\npasses as a gentleman when stealing has made him rich.\" His
\nsentiment is echoed in the view that stealing and cheating are
\njust \"business\" when part of institutional corruption. Outside
\nthis framework, the same acts are viewed as crime.<\/p>\n
This does not prevent corrupt individuals from continuing
\ntheir unsavory practices. People guilty of corruption believe
\nthat \"successful and fortunate crime is called virtue\" (Seneca,
\n55 B.C.- circa AD 39). In any case, in a corrupt society it is
\nalways petty criminals who are caught and reprimanded, while the
\n\"big fish\" go unpunished and retain their considerable status in
\nsociety. \"Laws grind the poor, and rich men rule the law\" (Oliver
\nGoldsmith, 1765).<\/p>\n
Can killing and corruption really be called business?<\/p>\n
Business is the occupation, work, or trade in which a person
\nis engaged. The word may be used to refer to gainful economic
\nactivity, but may also be used to denote trade, commerce, or
\nindustry which is illegal, like trade in narcotic and firearms,
\nmanagement of prostitutes, or money laundering.<\/p>\n
The word business can thus be used in a purely technical sense
\nor in a morally oriented sense. Used in a purely technical sense,
\nbeing a member of a criminal organization is indeed an
\noccupation, a job. A gangster organization can produce and
\ndistribute commodities and in this sense being a member of a
\ncriminal organization is technically a \"business activity\".<\/p>\n
However, those with a sense of law, justice, and social order
\nwill seriously challenge this assertion and the legitimacy of any
\noccupation that is closely connected with criminal organizations.<\/p>\n
A lawyer involved in organized crime is, technically speaking,
\na lawyer. Morally speaking, the lawyer is, in the words of Lord
\nByron, a \"moral chimney sweep\" using a \"legal broom\" and as a
\nconsequence becomes dirty. This lawyer is not concerned with
\nupholding justice, only with winning legal cases. Viewed in this
\nway, any business activity related to crime is not a \"normal\" or
\n\"legitimate\" business, but an illegitimate one. It is crime.<\/p>\n
Cheating and stealing within a corrupt society is also crime,
\nbut is legitimized if perpetrated by official institutions. That
\nis why many people consider corruption as a legitimate crime. For
\nexample, collecting taxes is a legal and legitimate act. However,
\ncharging a fee in exchange for a reduced tax bill is a criminal
\nact, but not easily detected.<\/p>\n
According to Professor Syed Husayn Alatas, corruption in a
\ndeveloping society is always collective and faceless. It is
\nimpossible in such a society to pinpoint guilty individuals.<\/p>\n
It is important that we know that there are criminal
\norganizations around us and that corruption is rampant in our
\nsociety. We have been unable to stem these two vices, yet we all
\ndream of a utopian society, free of crime and corruption. Is such
\na hope realistic?<\/p>\n
No. There is no society without crime. According to Emil
\nDurkheim, crime is \"an inevitable, although regrettable
\nphenomenon, due to the incorrigible wickedness of men\". All that
\nwe can realistically hope for is that crime will not exceed a
\ngiven level in our society.<\/p>\n
Genuine development cannot be achieved through corruption.
\nThere are two things which must be borne in mind as we try to
\nreduce corruption in our country. First, in every government
\n\"corruption begins nearly always with that of principles\"
\n(Montesqieu), and second, \"No man is worthy of unlimited reliance
\n-- his treason, at best, only waits for sufficient temptation\"
\n(H.L. Mencken, 1919).<\/p>\n
We have failed to heed Montesqieu's warning. But we still have
\ntime to take Mencken's advice seriously.<\/p>\n
The writer is an observer of social and cultural affairs.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/crime-and-corruption-as-forms-of-business-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }