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Depending on how we define corruption – the definition encompasses such a huge range of human behaviours, I don’t think we can eliminate it because we are basically dealing with human nature.
However, in terms of abusing one’s power for financial gains, we can contain it. We can definitely keep it under control. Singapore is a fine example of a (mostly) corruption-free society (still is), while HK before 1997 was possibly on a par with Singapore. Since then it has been on a slippery slope.
To contain corruption, the drive must come from the very top. This is what leadership is all about. The current Chinese model of anti-corruption is almost a mirror of the HK model, where those in charge of going after the ‘tigers’ have a direct line to Xi Jinping, take orders from him and are accountable to him.
This model has its pros and cons, the pro being that nobody dares to interfere in their quest to pursuit the tigers, the con being that it can be turned into a personal secret police like the Gestapo.
Its strategy also has a highly familiar ring to that used by the ICAC in the early days – get a few tigers and set a benchmark, an example and a warning to the smaller flies. So far it seems to be working. It’s got the Railway Minister Liu Zhijun first, then Chung King Party Chief Bo Xilai and now the domestic security Tsar Zhou YongKang.
Is Xi going to stop there? Is he going to keep on chasing the tigers, the wolves, the snakes, the rats and the cockroaches? Where is he going to draw the line?
If this is his personal political platform and if he is prepared to go the Nth degree to clean up China, he will need an anti-corruption task force as big the People’s Liberation Army to the job, if my understanding of the extent of corruption in China is anything to go by.
Anyway I am heartened by his attempt to clean up China. But knowing China – its sheer size, culture, political structure - it doesn’t take much to derail Xi’s clean-up China campaign. I will be waiting and seeing.
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