Bribery in everyday life

Not just the powerful: it’s that easy to be corrupt

"Freunderlwirtschaft" and co. are omnipresent.

(Bild: stockadobe.com - Wolfgang Zwanzger/Maisach)

Corruption is a stumbling block for the big players in our country: when accusations become public, some people can hardly resist a gleeful smile along the lines of "Awww, a powerful person has fallen flat on their face!" All too often, we have to take ourselves by the nose - because corruption, or what is commonly understood as corruption, is part of everyday life.

Anyone who thinks that corruption is something modern is mistaken. "Corruption is as old as mankind itself," says lawyer Bettina Knötzl, "and it will be with us forever. The only thing that changes is its form." And anyone who thinks it only affects the big and powerful is also mistaken: "Corruption can be found everywhere. We encounter it in everyday life, and we are already required to say 'no'."  Knötzl is also President of the Advisory Board of Transparency International (TI) Austria, a non-profit and politically independent movement that takes a stand against corruption and for more transparency worldwide.