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Corruption, constraint, and nepotism

PETER NORTON

in Episcopal Elections 250-600: Hierarchy and Popular Will in Late Antiquity

This chapter considers two diametrically-opposed phenomena in electoral practice, namely, where would-be bishops attempted to bribe their way into office, and also where men refused to accept the ... More

This chapter considers two diametrically-opposed phenomena in electoral practice, namely, where would-be bishops attempted to bribe their way into office, and also where men refused to accept the honour and responsibility being thrust upon them. It also looks at the practice of nominating one’s own successor, a practice which was no doubt not infrequently the result of nepotism.Less

Epilogue: Obama and East St. Louis

Jennifer F. Hamer

in Abandoned in the Heartland: Work, Family, and Living in East St. Louis

The historic election of Barack Obama, cause for euphoria throughout the American black community, had special poignance in Illinois. Obama simultaneously served as a potent role model for black ... More

The historic election of Barack Obama, cause for euphoria throughout the American black community, had special poignance in Illinois. Obama simultaneously served as a potent role model for black youth and formidable proof that racial barriers cannot prevent African Americans from succeeding. His entry to the Oval Office seemed eerily analogous to the rise of black mayors in industrial hubs such as East St. Louis, weakened by falling tax revenues, financial bankruptcy, declining infrastructure, and the dissolute practices of exiting white administrations. The charges of nepotism and corruption against the mayor are elaborated. The circumstances of East St. Louis provide an opportunity to reconsider the core values and direct attention to building equity and creating a just America.Less

Emerging Accounts of Altruism: “Love Creation's Final Law”?

Jeffrey P. Schloss

in Altruism and Altruistic Love: Science, Philosophy, and Religion in Dialogue

Darwinism contributed a theory by which the brutality of nature could be viewed as redemptively generating beneficial outcomes. The significant aspect of inclusive fitness theory is that it not only ... More

Darwinism contributed a theory by which the brutality of nature could be viewed as redemptively generating beneficial outcomes. The significant aspect of inclusive fitness theory is that it not only makes sense of many previously puzzling behaviors but that it also reconceptualizes fitness to entail both progeny and kin. The picture of human nature that thus emerges is one wholly governed by “nepotism and favoritism”. Critics of such conclusions drawn from initial sociobiological applications of kin selection and reciprocal altruism theory have described it as a “slapdash egoism, a natural expression of people's lazy-minded vanity, an armchair game of cops and robbers which saves them the trouble of real inquiry and flatters their self-esteem.”Less

The Power House

Carol Harlow

in Accountability in the European Union

This chapter discusses the creation of the Committee of Independent Experts in 1999 within the European Commission. This committee was tasked to investigate the extent to which the Commission as a ... More

This chapter discusses the creation of the Committee of Independent Experts in 1999 within the European Commission. This committee was tasked to investigate the extent to which the Commission as a body or commissioners individually bear specific responsibility for the examples of fraud, mismanagement, and nepotism leveled against the Commission in parliament. The three cases that were examined in depth included the ECHO programme of humanitarian aid, the Leonardo programme of subsidy for vocational training, and the MED programme of grants to Mediterranean countries affected by the Gulf War. In all these cases, the experts identified instances of fraud, mismanagement, and nepotism, and heads of these programmes were censured. This chapter also discusses the various functions of the Commission, including its function as a rule-making body.Less

God Worship and the Chiao

Robert Hymes

in Way and Byway: Taoism, Local Religion, and Models of Divinity in Sung and Modern China

This chapter explores the modern ethnographic literature about a ritual, the Offering (chiao), which on the one hand is Taoist but on the other honors local lay gods, to argue that the tensions ... More

This chapter explores the modern ethnographic literature about a ritual, the Offering (chiao), which on the one hand is Taoist but on the other honors local lay gods, to argue that the tensions between personal and bureaucratic models can help explain modern religious phenomena as well. The Offering tells that local gods at best convey people's appeals to their celestial superiors. During most of the Offering, the Taoist rites are only one show among many for lay participants, who circulate on the grounds, visiting whatever building they choose and making offerings “to any image of any spirit in any shrine.” Arthur Wolf told how his informants explained why, when arranging images, they placed the stove god in a higher-ranking position than the god of the locality, despite his lower bureaucratic rank. Nepotism is not a simple expression of bureaucratic principles but an interaction or tension between two different principles.Less

Corruption: A Window into the State of Postwar Lebanon

Reinoud Leenders

in Spoils of Truce: Corruption and State-Building in Postwar Lebanon

This book examines the extent and causes of political corruption in postwar Lebanon. Drawing on research on comparative corruption, bribery, rent-seeking, and crony capitalism, primarily in less ... More

This book examines the extent and causes of political corruption in postwar Lebanon. Drawing on research on comparative corruption, bribery, rent-seeking, and crony capitalism, primarily in less developed countries (LDCs), the book considers high political corruption—that is, forms of corruption occurring at the top of the state's bureaucracy and its agencies (for example, among ministers, directors-general, and other senior officials) rather than those that occur at lower echelons of state bureaucracies. It also explores various manifestations of corruption, from bid rigging and influence peddling to collusion, extortion, theft of public funds, nepotism, and outright bribery. It argues that corruption in postwar Lebanon has been rampant and attributes it mainly to the high degree to which public institutions diverged from the criteria of bureaucratic organization. In turn, the limited extent to which corruption-prone public institutions in postwar Lebanon met these criteria can be blamed on the debilitating nature of the political settlement that has been evolving since the early 1990s.Less

Antipublicity

Byron Dueck

in Musical Intimacies and Indigenous Imaginaries: Aboriginal Music and Dance in Public Performance

This chapter begins by looking at a Red River Jig competition held at a treaty-day celebration on a Manitoban reserve. Particularly notable at the competition were frequent and unscripted variations ... More

This chapter begins by looking at a Red River Jig competition held at a treaty-day celebration on a Manitoban reserve. Particularly notable at the competition were frequent and unscripted variations in the music accompanying the dancing and loud allegations of nepotism from an audience member. The chapter explores how musicians and others occasionally prioritize (or at any rate are alleged to do so) social intimates rather than the public, and it considers the negative political consequences this can have for indigenous communities and governments. The insistent prioritization of intimacy is one significant manifestation of “antipublicity,” a term introduced here to describe practices and protocols that qualify or impede an orientation to a public. The closing sections of the chapter explore further instances of antipublicity, including cultural prohibitions concerning the mass mediation of certain kinds of sacred knowledge and song.Less

Introduction

Miles Pattenden

in Pius IV and the Fall of The Carafa: Nepotism and Papal Authority in Counter-Reformation Rome

This chapter examines the historiography of Pius IV and the Carafa and their respective places in wider debates about the early modern papacy, laying out the justification for and structure of the ... More

This chapter examines the historiography of Pius IV and the Carafa and their respective places in wider debates about the early modern papacy, laying out the justification for and structure of the remainder of the book.Less

The Motivations for the Trial

Miles Pattenden

in Pius IV and the Fall of The Carafa: Nepotism and Papal Authority in Counter-Reformation Rome

This chapter explains Pius’s motives in prosecuting the Carafa and what it reveals about his wider aspirations for his pontificate. It argues that, contrary to previous interpretations, Pius had no ... More

This chapter explains Pius’s motives in prosecuting the Carafa and what it reveals about his wider aspirations for his pontificate. It argues that, contrary to previous interpretations, Pius had no particular desire to punish the Carafa for their part in their uncle’s reign or to stigmatize the system of nepotism which they seem to have embodied. It suggests instead that Pius’s primary consideration was a desire to reassert the authority of the papacy over the College of Cardinals in advance of the resumption of the Council of Trent, which he hoped to achieve by making a targeted example of those whom he perceived to be its weakest members.Less

The Aftermath of the Trial

Miles Pattenden

in Pius IV and the Fall of The Carafa: Nepotism and Papal Authority in Counter-Reformation Rome

This chapter examines the impact of the trial on the politics of the rest of Pius’s reign, exploring how and how far Pius was able to re-establish papal authority over the cardinals and the measures ... More

This chapter examines the impact of the trial on the politics of the rest of Pius’s reign, exploring how and how far Pius was able to re-establish papal authority over the cardinals and the measures he took to prevent his own nephews from suffering a similar fate to the Carafa. Finally it discusses the continued role of the trial in shaping the politics of the reign of Pius’s successor Pius V and the debates about it in later sixteenth- and seventeenth-century literature.Less

Conclusion

Miles Pattenden

in Pius IV and the Fall of The Carafa: Nepotism and Papal Authority in Counter-Reformation Rome

This chapter explains what the trial reveals about the development of papal nepotism as a political institution and also for papal authority and the pope’s relationship with the cardinals in the ... More

This chapter explains what the trial reveals about the development of papal nepotism as a political institution and also for papal authority and the pope’s relationship with the cardinals in the later sixteenth century. It argues that, far from criticizing previous papal nepotism, Pius intensified its development as he sought to reshape the constitution of the papal monarchy into something that more closely resembled that of its secular counterparts.Less

Is the Political Class Corrupt?

Ron Formisano

in American Oligarchy: The Permanent Political Class

Is the political class corrupt or decent and just “well dressed”? Among the public, the perception of corruption persists.

Scandals and Mobilization (1923–1926)

Philippe M. F. Peycam

in The Birth of Vietnamese Political Journalism: Saigon, 1916-1930

This chapter explores press intervention upon the proliferation of scandals under the French colonial administration, thus spurring Vietnamese public mobilization. At the period of economic growth, ... More

This chapter explores press intervention upon the proliferation of scandals under the French colonial administration, thus spurring Vietnamese public mobilization. At the period of economic growth, and with an expanding newspaper audience, the controversial Maurice Cognacq replaced Albert Sarraut as governor of the colony. Cognacq had been involved in the practice of nepotism, questionable deals, and harassment of public opponents—all of which were exposed by the Vietnamese press. Among these controversies, the most devastating was the “Saigon port monopoly affair” that clearly showed the disparate interests of the Vietnamese natives and the French colonial regime. The Saigon port monopoly affair marks the beginning of some journalistic breakthroughs with the likes of The Broken Bell (La Cloche Fêlée) under the editorship of Nguyễn An Ninh, and Trần Huy Liệu's leadership of the Indochina Times (Đông Pháp Thời Báo).Less

Showing Respect

Francis X. Hezel

in Making Sense of Micronesia: The Logic of Pacific Island Culture

This chapter focuses on the importance of respect in Micronesia. Respect is one of the central concepts in island culture; the word is forever being used in the islands. Micronesians begin to learn ... More

This chapter focuses on the importance of respect in Micronesia. Respect is one of the central concepts in island culture; the word is forever being used in the islands. Micronesians begin to learn the importance of respect within the circle of their family from the youngest age. Children learn to show respect for their parents and other elders in the family. The Micronesian family appears to be much more disciplined than its western counterpart. Children talk to one another quietly and keep silent when the adults are carrying on a discussion among themselves. The relationship between siblings, like the relationship between parents and children, is marked by respect. This chapter considers silence and distance as the main markers of respect in Micronesian culture, the importance of showing overt deference to chiefs and those who hold high titles, and the ways that an islander expresses dissent. It also discusses respect in relation to what the West dismisses as nepotism, which is seen as contrary to the standards of good governance.Less

Patronage and Advancement

Hugh M. Thomas

in The Secular Clergy in England, 1066–1216

Competition for benefices in England was fierce in the long twelfth century, and candidates needed whatever edge they could get. Despite the efforts of reformers, benefices continued to be acquired ... More

Competition for benefices in England was fierce in the long twelfth century, and candidates needed whatever edge they could get. Despite the efforts of reformers, benefices continued to be acquired through simony or inheritance. The latter practice was declining rapidly, but nepotism remained a powerful force. Clerics also obtained church office through service to bishops, abbots, powerful secular lords, and the king. Good morals and education, the main theoretical qualifications for office, mattered as well. Declining inheritance of church office, combined with a high demand for lucrative benefices, helped spur a tremendous growth in education, since even clerics with good connections wanted every possible advantage. Naturally enough, the importance of personal connections and even the purchase of office in a theoretically meritocratic system created profound religious tensions, and the fierce competition for office produced social tensions as well.Less

Nepotism and Politics

Dario Maestripieri

in Macachiavellian Intelligence: How Rhesus Macaques and Humans Have Conquered the World

Nepotism is inherent in both humans and animals. Some animal societies are more or less nepotistic than others, but there is no society in which individuals are biased in favor of non-kin and against ... More

Nepotism is inherent in both humans and animals. Some animal societies are more or less nepotistic than others, but there is no society in which individuals are biased in favor of non-kin and against their kin. The reason nepotism exists is a phenomenon called kin selection. By helping relatives with whom they share genes, individuals increase the probability that their own genes will be passed on to the next generation. Without information on kinship, it is virtually impossible to understand how any animal or human society is organized and why the individuals in it behave the way they do. This chapter, which examines nepotism and politics among rhesus macaques, first discusses Sigmund Freud's explanation of how sex between family members contributes to human behavior. It looks at incest and dispersal, the origins of same-sex bonding, rhesus macaques' social tolerance of their relatives and other individuals, and their altruism.Less

Macachiavellian Origins of Love and Compassion

Dario Maestripieri

in Macachiavellian Intelligence: How Rhesus Macaques and Humans Have Conquered the World

Humans (Homo sapiens) and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are both political animals. In both human and rhesus macaque societies, it is difficult to survive and be successful without the help of ... More

Humans (Homo sapiens) and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are both political animals. In both human and rhesus macaque societies, it is difficult to survive and be successful without the help of others. Success depends on political power, and that power is acquired and maintained through the formation of alliances with other individuals. But wherever there is cooperation there is also competition. Individuals cooperate with one another to compete against others. Because of competition, the main source of problems for people is other people, and for rhesus macaques it is other rhesus macaques. To deal with the complexities of cooperation and competition, rhesus macaques and humans have evolved a sophisticated and opportunistic form of social intelligence. Life in large social groups may encourage not only the evolution of Machiavellian social intelligence, but of complex intelligence in general. This chapter examines the evolution of social intelligence in humans and rhesus macaques, the inequality of the sexes as well as male and female power, nepotism and despotism in rhesus and human societies, and human nature versus rhesus nature.Less