Philippine Culture Permits Graft
Cultural Aspects of Philippine Society Allow Graft and Corruption
Cultural assumptions about rightness or wrongness of individual behavior, a point of religious doctrine, and Spanish colonial experience may influence Philippine graft.
Government institutions may create opportunities for corruption, but individuals are the perpetrators. Three cultural aspects of Philippine society possibly contribute to individuals taking advantage of the opportunities for illicit personal profit at the public’s expense.
Shame Culture vs. Guilt Culture
Rules and attitudes regarding wrongdoing, blame, and justice are not the same across different cultures and societies. Cultural anthropologist Ruth Benedict, in her study of Japanese culture in the 1940s, perhaps first articulated two differing sets of assumptions and rules. In The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, published in 1946, she distinguishes between the "guilt culture," characteristic of the West, and the "shame culture" of Japan.[1]
Features of shame cultures include saving face, preserving family honor, importance of family name and reputation, etc. Cultural restraints upon individuals serve to maintain honor or avoid shame, but there is less concern for the rightness or wrongness of individual behavior, which apparently gives license to engage in secret wrongdoing.
Shame culture might be better understood by contrast with the guilt culture of Western societies. In the West, Judeo-Christian foundations provide an absolute standard for right and wrong, and even for truth. Guilt culture is concerned with truth and justice, and provides strong social restraints upon behavior: individual sense of guilt and conscience prevent wrongdoing, even if it might never be discovered.
Viewing Philippine society as a shame culture helps explain the endemic problem of graft and corruption. Government employees at all levels, along with businessmen involved in government dealings, obviously are not constrained by a sense of guilt or conscience prompting them to “do the right thing.” The only constraint may be to carefully hide illegal and unethical practices, to prevent them potentially being exposed and bringing shame upon the family.
Penance and Bribery
The Philippines is about 83% Roman Catholic [2], and the doctrine of penance is generally espoused and practiced. Is it possible this doctrine has increased national tolerance for graft, particularly in the form of bribery?
The faithful accept that wrongdoing, or sin, should be confessed, and that the priest can assign penance to be performed, and then give absolution for the wrongdoing. One might look at this concept, in simple terms, as paying some price (penance) to “get off the hook” (absolution) for wrongdoing (sin). In the case of a motorist being stopped by a policeman for a traffic violation (wrongdoing), he might think nothing of paying a small price (penance) to get off the hook (absolution). The logic works not only in the sphere of the local traffic cop, but at the highest levels of government. After all, if one can “pay off” the Creator of the universe, what earthly authority should be above bribery?
Colonial Experience
The Philippines was a colony of Spain for nearly 400 years, but much of the country was never assimilated into Spanish culture and society, nor really under control of the Spanish administration in Manila. Certainly much of the populace viewed the Spanish colonials as foreign oppressors, and developed an “us versus them” mentality. It seems that centuries, and many generations, of this colonial rule and negative attitude toward the government must have had an effect on the Filipino psyche, and perhaps taking from the government was not viewed negatively. Is it possible that after only about 60 years, and a few generations, of independence, the “us versus them” attitude toward the government has yet to be reformed?
Conclusion
Individuals in both the public and private sectors are robbing the country, apparently without guilt. Cultural aspects have hindered development of a healthy conscience, and changed attitudes toward wrongdoing would greatly benefit national development.
References
1. Atherton, James S.; Doceo:Shame-Culture and Guilt-Culture [On-line]; accessed February 24, 2008
2. Religion, General Information, Official Website of the Republic of the Philippines; accessed February 24, 2008
