Would a public execution of 10 or 15 corrupt governmental leaders (of any flavor) here in the DR, end corruption in Dominican government?
I don't know, but I think it would be a good start for everyone concerned.
Personally, I doubt corruption would end even if all current corrupt governmental leaders (that's almost all of them :surprised ) were to be executed out of existence.
One has to understand the issues developing nation-states face regarding their own existence and ability to survive. For this we need to be clear on what exactly is a nation-state:
What exactly is a nation?
Basically, a nation is a population with a certain sense of self, a commonality of attitudes and ideas (incl. common language) that provides a psychological attachment and sense of belonging that creates a deeply shared sense of fundamental identification.
What exactly is a state?
Basically, a territorially bound sovereign entity governed by a central authority whose leaders claim to represent all personas within its territory and to have the monopoly over the use of force (ie. military).
What exactly is a nation-state?
It's the overlap of a nation and a state.
The elements of a nation-state includes:
1. Sovereignty on an international scale
2. Authority over its subjects and territory
3. Legitimacy which is the legal and psychological right to govern
4. Control which is exercised through the monopoly over the use of force.
Developing nation-states (DR included) do not fulfill all the elements that are needed to be an effective nation-state. For example, the country has sovereignty but the country is still subject to alien institutions such as the OAS, IMF, World Bank, etc which often times undermines the sovereignty of the country and places the authority of the state in a position of powerlessness whenever these foreign institutions demand something from the DR.
The country has authority, but such authority is many times ignored and even challenged by various members of Dominican society.
The country has legitimacy, however the legitimacy is not complete because in order for there to be legitimacy there needs to be a certain set of accepted rules and regulations which puts the authority of the state (ie. government) to solve the problems that are present. The DR is a country where the official rules and regulations are often ignored by everyone, even top level officials at times, thus weakening the legitimacy the state has over its territory and people.
And the country has control, however such control is being challenged by the presence of well armed gangs taking control by force of certain sections of cities and population. Additionally, the widespread use of private guards with the inclination towards using force to enforce private interests (whether its protecting a residence or enforcing an eviction of illegal squatters on private land, etc). Also, the widespread growing perception that people must take the law unto their own hands challenges the control of the government as well.
Of those four elements, the key one is legitimacy.
No legitimacy leads to no security of government which leads to no accepted rules which leads to corruption.
In other words, no legitimacy means the government is not able to offer security. That inability causes people to either hire private security or take the matters onto their own hands. Such actions leads to an unacceptance of established rules and regulations and when this happens, the only way to get things done is through kick backs and special favors, or corruption.
Thus, in order for corruption to end we need not kill the politicians. They are not the main problem in this. In order to destroy corruption, we need to increase the level of legitimacy of the Dominican government. Such thing can only be done if people begin to put faith in the state and actually follow the rules and regulations established. Such action can be obtained once all members of the society have the best interest of the nation and state at hand, however such interests can be developed through an emotional appeal to the fundamental expression of the nation. It serves as a means for obtaining legitimacy, often to the exclusion of some other group.
All these factors exist in developed countries, however in developed nations the state is strong and present in all aspects of society. In other words, the state has sufficient control over its population to ensure its legitimacy is maintained. In developing countries, the state often is weaker, often only being present in the cities (in the wealthier parts of the cities) and almost completely absent in the poorest areas and in the countryside. (The presence of the state is the presence of law abidding law enforcers and/or military personnel willing to enforce the law at all times). Such lack of control over its population leads the population to basically act whatever way it feels like, the population takes the laws onto its own hands, has a distrust of authorities, and does not feels commited towards the authorities. Such actions leads to a decrease in legitimacy and the only way to get things done quickly in a place where legitimacy is weak is by circumventing the established rules and regulation, in other words corruption.
-NALs
