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Difference between revisions of "Korapsen (Papua New Guinea)"
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Institutional decay involves the deterioration of social and political institutions. Again, the focus groups conducted across PNG captured this interpretation. Some respondents said that ''korapsen'' occurs when the ''wantok'' (Tok Pisin for ‘one talk’) system – a social institution of reciprocity within kinship groups – benefits particular individuals more than the community as a whole. The ''wantok'' system has been criticised within PNG for causing corruption; particularly because its focus on maintaining kinship ties means citizens prefer distributing state resources to relatives rather than following state bureaucratic rules. But for some respondents, the ''wantok'' system was in decay, not because it challenged the rules of the state, but because it could create inequalities within the community, and thus was not living up to its ideal institutional function. In identifying the ''wantok'' system as a form of ''korapsen'' in this sense, respondents’ perceptions reflected the institutional side of the decay definition. Thus, while ''korapsen'' is a uniquely Papua New Guinean word, it resonates with other interpretations of its root word (‘corruption’) found in pre-modern Western thought. | Institutional decay involves the deterioration of social and political institutions. Again, the focus groups conducted across PNG captured this interpretation. Some respondents said that ''korapsen'' occurs when the ''wantok'' (Tok Pisin for ‘one talk’) system – a social institution of reciprocity within kinship groups – benefits particular individuals more than the community as a whole. The ''wantok'' system has been criticised within PNG for causing corruption; particularly because its focus on maintaining kinship ties means citizens prefer distributing state resources to relatives rather than following state bureaucratic rules. But for some respondents, the ''wantok'' system was in decay, not because it challenged the rules of the state, but because it could create inequalities within the community, and thus was not living up to its ideal institutional function. In identifying the ''wantok'' system as a form of ''korapsen'' in this sense, respondents’ perceptions reflected the institutional side of the decay definition. Thus, while ''korapsen'' is a uniquely Papua New Guinean word, it resonates with other interpretations of its root word (‘corruption’) found in pre-modern Western thought. | ||
There might be reservations about seeking to understand ''korapsen'' through its vernacular meaning. As homonyms, ‘corruption’ and ''korapsen'' are indeed difficult to distinguish. Even speakers of Tok Pisin would find it difficult to articulate whether they were referring to the English or Tok Pisin meaning; and the research<ref>Walton, G. W. 2009. ''Rural Peoples' Perceptions of Corruption in Papua New Guinea''. Port Moresby: Transparency International Papua New Guinea</ref><ref | There might be reservations about seeking to understand ''korapsen'' through its vernacular meaning. As homonyms, ‘corruption’ and ''korapsen'' are indeed difficult to distinguish. Even speakers of Tok Pisin would find it difficult to articulate whether they were referring to the English or Tok Pisin meaning; and the research<ref>Walton, G. W. 2009. ''Rural Peoples' Perceptions of Corruption in Papua New Guinea''. Port Moresby: Transparency International Papua New Guinea</ref><ref>Walton, G.W. 2013. 'Is All Corruption Dysfunctional? Perceptions of Corruption and Its Consequences in Papua New Guinea', ''Public Administration and Development'', 33(3):175-190</ref><ref>Walton, G.W. 2015. 'Defining Corruption Where the State Is Weak: The Case of Papua New Guinea', ''Journal of Development Studies'', 51(1): 15-31.</ref> did not try to distinguish the two. However, if one is sensitive to the meaning of ''korapsen'' shared by local communities – whereby the definition of the concept is determined by the views of Papua New Guineans – is it easy to see that ''korapsen'' and ‘corruption’ are related but distinct concepts. The latter focuses on wrongdoing by those in positions of power, where ‘wrongdoing’ is determined by the rules and laws of the state. In a distinctly Papua New Guinean sense, ''korapsen'' is associated with informal practices necessary for the daily workings of the community and reflecting Papua New Guinea’s social, cultural and economic conditions. | ||
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