The Psychology of Corruption
With South Africa not being more than 30 years into democracy and so called “freedom”, we cannot negate the fact that something went wrong. Terribly wrong.
Leading as the most corrupt country in the world- where tax payers money going missing is a regular scandal, where all of the king pin criminals are parliament officials, where the day we see a just arrest and sentencing of those responsible-seems to be a day that will never see a dawn.
The odd thing is, from all that we know, how could we not deem our corrupt leaders and government as “bad people”? This is the sentiment that we like to base our hideous views on them from- “They do bad things, therefore they must be bad people.” Before I continue with this article; allow me to highlight the fact that this level of crime is inexcusable- and when exploring a deeper understanding of it, this doesn't necessarily mean that we are justifying it.
“Why is it that people do the things they do? Specifically in times when it’s not necessary for them to do them…”
Politicians, leaders, officials and representatives will (in most cases) have a certain amount of wealth attached to their name. Corruption simply proliferates their riches, it isn't the sole reason for them being rich though. QED, without corruption; they'd probably be rich anyway. This is why we need to look at the psychology of South African corruption. Surely, coming from the struggle, coming from the oppression, they would want to eradicate all kinds of inequality, unfairness and injustice?
No.
Lets backtrack.
South African democracy is still a baby. Our leaders, our representatives, our government — what kind of history do they come from?
They come from climbing over the dead bodies of their fellow comrades.
To put it quite bluntly. They come from bloodshed, violence, the instilled fear that any day may be your day to die-if the white man says so. These kinds of radical traumas, leave radical psychological scarring. A mindset built on survival — they come from nothing, whereby anything they have now, is theirs, and theirs only. Not because they are corrupt, but because that “as long as I'm okay, as long as I'm covered, as long as I have my own back” mindset is so deeply instilled within them. Survival.
If a child suffers terrible ongoing abuse, later on - when that child becomes an adult- their way of thinking is abnormal. Without copious amounts of therapy and reprogramming (yes, reprogramming -your brain is exactly like a computer), this now adult -won’t view things the same way, won't respond in the spectrum of what's considered ordinary -their psyche is warped.
Yes, so…..our politicians need hardcore therapy.
Knowing the violent, turbulent, ongoing racial war and oppressive history South African leaders have lived through, how could we expect them to lead us effectively and justly without any in-depth continuous form of psychological rehabilitation and cognitive behavioral therapy?
How do we psychologically rehabilitate our leaders? Or do we simply pick new ones who may not have lived through the struggle, but understand its damage well enough whereby they can do right by us?
South Africa- there is a science to these behaviors, these characteristics, these reoccurring events. We have the full spread on the table, it's time we start observing what ingredients were used to cook up this mess.
