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Graft, a form of political bribery, allows officials to gain something through their position of power or inside knowledge. Governments have measures in place to prevent corruption, and graft can end a politician’s career. Actions considered grafts range from accepting gifts to manipulating public budgets. Politicians are expected to recuse themselves in situations that affect their net worth, but many do not. Using exclusive knowledge to profit is also considered unethical.
Bribery is a form of political bribery where an official gains something through a position of power, trust or inside knowledge. Many governments have systems in place to prevent corruption, and the discovery of corruption can spell the end of a politician’s career. These measures are designed to ensure that public officials perform their duties fairly and responsibly and that they make decisions for the benefit of the people, rather than a select few.
The term appears to have emerged in its modern form in 1865. The origins are unclear, as the other common usage of “graft” refers to joining two pieces of material together, as in bone, gum, and botanical grafts. In the UK, “engagement” means “work,” which can lead to an understandable confusion between British and American English speakers. “Graft” is one of many colorful political terms that have cropped up in the United States; fraud and filibustering are two other well-known examples. Countless others have sadly been lost to history.
A number of actions could be considered grafts, ranging from accepting an expensive gift while in office to buying land that will be needed for a bypass. Unlike bribery, bribery does not require the participation of a second individual, although it can certainly involve a group of people or politicians. In addition to making a measurable profit, a politician can also acquire less tangible benefits through graft, such as an important political position or a seat on a committee.
When a politician manipulates a public budget in order to profit from it, we speak of corruption. Similarly, a politician who gets a contract that will benefit his company is also engaged in corruption; either way, the politician is gaining a financial advantage through questionable activity. Politicians are expected to recuse themselves in situations where they could make decisions that affect their net worth, but many don’t and pocket the profits.
A politician can also use exclusive knowledge to profit something. For example, a member of a planning commission might know that a piece of land is being purchased by the government for the purpose of building something. He or she could secretly buy land and then ask a higher price for it, profiting from inside knowledge. While real estate speculation isn’t illegal, dishonest gains are definitely considered unethical.
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