Systemic corruption : conflicting relationships regarding development, democracy and human dignity in Zaire : an analysis and evaluation

Abstract

This study bears on the achievement of three contemporary interlinked priorities in Africa: development, democracy and human dignity. Though a number of arguments keep on blaming, in a fundamental and exclusive way, external factors and forces being the major inhibiting and detrimental factors that play a definite role in compromising the attainment of the above-mentioned trilogy of objectives in Africa as well as in other Developing Countries, the present study brings about a new approach based on "self-criticism" and it focusses on a "re-evaluation" of internal factors that constitute the actual and factual causes for the obvious lack of development, democracy and human dignity in countries in quest of these. Bearing this in mind, the phenomenon of systemic corruption, i.e. institutionalized, established and sanctioned corruption (as it obtained in Mobutu's Zaire) constitutes one among many internal factors that seriously hinders this achievement by reducing a great country which is potentially the wealthiest country in Africa, into a land of bankruptcy, misrule and mass pauperization. Following a general analytical and theoretical framework relating to the negative impact and the dysfunctionality of corruption vis-a-vis the achievement of the trilogy of objectives in the Developing World, and the analysis of this state of affairs in the particular case of Zaire - it is shown in this study that, first and foremost, when developing countries' political systems are characterized by the institutionalization of corruption, governmental and bureaucratic efforts to achieve development, viable democratization and human dignity within the society are negatively affected. Secondly, against the background of the evaluation of the issue at stake and by utilizing the treble set of value-systems (normative values) pertaining to what can be regarded as good government (indigenous African values, the Western value system of public accountability and the christian values on responsible governance) - all of which recommend servant morality - the research's finding is that systemic corruption appears where the political leadership and bureaucratic elites and cadres have been alienated from basic values pertaining to good governance. A number of alternatives and proposals for the future have been put forward by the author - though these do not claim to be exhaustive in so far as the eradication of what can be described as widespread institutionalized corruption in Zaire and in other Zaire-like countries is concerned.