How to prevent corruption in government through technology

At times it really is breathtaking how corrupted government institutions have become.  Government corruption has become so endemic in our society that most people have just kind of accepted it as “normal”. Corruption is defined by the World Bank and Transparency International (TI) as “the misuse of public office for private gain.” As such, it involves the improper and unlawful behaviour of public-service officials, both politicians and civil servants, whose positions create opportunities for the diversion of money and assets from government to themselves and their accomplices. Corruption distorts resource allocation and government performance.

The causes of its development are many and vary from one country to the next. Among the contributing factors are policies, programs and activities that are poorly conceived and managed, failing institutions, poverty, income disparities, inadequate civil servants’ remuneration, and a lack of accountability and transparency.