For the Corrupt, Of the Corrupt and By the Corrupt

This is how I define democracy in the largest democracy of the world. India is a corrupt nation and no-one denies that. A large portion of the Indian upper class is innovative (a pseudonym for being corrupt) and that is why they are there. The upwardly mobile Indian middle class is not yet that innovative but still not very far behind.
The reason that India is one of the corrupt nations in the world is that there is no social stigma attached to being corrupt. It has today become an accepted way of earning or getting what u desire.
There are people who say the Indian middle class largely working in private organisations is not corrupt. But I would beg to differ, these are the people who facilitate corruption. One small example to substantiate my claim. Most of us when fined for not obeying traffic rules will try and bribe the policeman so as to avoid paying the actual fine. And since we don't mind giving bribes we don't mind taking it either.
And this the middle class from which politicians and businessmen arise, the only difference being that they bribe the officials for anything and everything. The politicians bribes whoever is ready to get bribed for votes and others do it for money, convenience or escaping from law.
It serves all and that is why I define the thriving Indian democracy as 'For the Corrupt, Of the Corrupt and By the Corrupt.

Originally published on 8/15/06 @ Bangalore