This week, we’re going to be focusing on grand corruption, also known as kleptocracy. You have some options for the reading assignment this week—if you’d like to, you can opt to watch one of two documentaries instead of reading the article that I’ve chosen. After watching the documentary, post an answer to one of the following questions. Please mention if you read the Gabriel article or watched a documentary, and if so, which one you watched.
Questions: (Only pick one question to answer)
1. What is the cause of corruption? What might be the most effective deterrent for corruption such as that seen in Malaysia? Why do you believe your suggested remedy will work? What are the risks or shortcomings of your plan?
2. Do you think the U.S. overlooks some corrupt companies, organizations, or foreign leaders for the sake of U.S interests? What is the result of that? What would be the result if the U.S. changed its policies toward corrupt entities?
Video:
“The Man at the Top (Links to an external site.)” (Dirty Money, s.2, Netflix)
https://www.netflix.com/title/80118100
My response – but needs a little work. Fill free to use some of my work, I will post my rough draft below.
I watched the Dirty Money episode, “The Man at the Top”
What is the cause of corruption? What might be the most effective deterrent for corruption such as that seen in Malaysia? Why do you believe your suggested remedy will work? What are the risks or shortcomings of your plan?
Due to Malaysia being a developing country, they will need help from outside sources. In the documentary, it was expressed that a developing country will need outside financing to build roads, airports, and hospitals. Your economy should be either making money or a building infrastructure, and Malaysia was not able to commit to such tasks, alone. Corruption in Malaysia was based of false narratives and broken visions. What seemed like a great idea and a good use of resources to receive a return, ended up being extremely flawed and lacked substance. Malaysia was desperate to makes changes, thus they took everything for face value instead of looking further into it. While Malaysia is a very small and close country, they were impressed with the appearance of wealth, luxury, and celebrities. Jho Low built an empire of visions for the people, yet no one actually knew what he did. Jho Low spent massive amounts of money and invested, but nobody knew where. Jho Low preyed on the fact that he could flaunt money and status could impress others and they would want to be associated with him rather than left out. Therefore, no one was interested in asking questions, yet there were individuals who knew something was not right. Rosmah flaunted thousands of dollars’ worth of goods and went on enormous shopping trips that a wife of a politician could not afford, but Jho Low could. The prime minister knew these activities were not appropriate and hoped that others would see the truth behind him and his wife’s opulent lifestyle. Money and materialistic goods change people, the prime minster sees no wrong in receiving “gifts”. There is no plan, the plan revolves around individuals’ character and how far they are willing to give in or let go. Money makes the world go round and makes individuals do the wrong thing, for a price. Until the presence and status stigma related to money is broken, corruption will follow.
