Are most people not really corrupt?

"While there may be instances of benign corruption, the truth is that corruption corrodes markets, protects incumbents from competitive challenges by impeding the entry of new actors, destroys the moral fabric of society, and stunts economic development," wrote Prof K Basu. Countries with low corruption are rich while those with high corruption are poor. However, anti-corruption drives are used to gain power, "nurturing cronyism and damaging democracy instead". "What starts as an anti-corruption ends up as an instrument of cronyism and media control. And by creating a safe zone for loyalists, it often ends up exacerbating corruption." President Xi Jinping of China launched a ferocious anti-corruption drive which resulted in prisons filled up with Communist Party leaders. However, China's corruption rating, according to Transparency International, remains the same as in 2012, when Xi came to power, wrote Prof D Hough. The removal of the two-term limit on the presidency for Xi Jinping by the National People's Congress may be construed as extreme cronyism. China banned names, such as Disney and Winnie the Pooh, phrases, such as 'Ascend the Throne', and 'Rule the World', and even the letter 'N' because that meant 'n>2'.  In India the government has made biometric identity card Aadhaar mandatory for every citizen, regardless of evidence of rampant misuse. Aadhaar has been made mandatory even for filing income tax returns. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won two elections by portraying himself as crusader against corruption. Any twopenny government official can "monitor, seize and look into computers and phones". CCTV cameras will monitor teachers and students in government schools in Delhi, wrote Prof A Pathak. The government intends to force internet companies to store India data on servers located inside the country because "Data is a sovereign asset", according to a minister. No, it absolutely is not. First of all, the government is not our sovereign. Elected politicians are our representatives and not our rulers as they have made themselves out to be. And secondly, our data is our personal property and may not be used without permission, no matter how high and mighty they think they are. The government wants to monitor WhatsApp, which is encrypted end to end, on grounds of security. After terrorising taxpayers and the middle class the government has unearthed some Rs 100 billion, which could be unaccounted wealth. This, when the GDP is $2.7 trillion or Rs 190 trillion. "The rise of Trump and, more recently Boris Johnson, are just some indicators that the rise of the incompetent is not a aberration," wrote VR Ferose. And, "The most incompetent leaders have the highest surviving power." "Why has hope been lost by so many Americans, especially young Americans?" asked J Morris. Because, there is not much to hope for. Anywhere.