NEWS AND VIEWS

 

Union Corruption

Posted at 08/03/12 - 04:50 PM

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The Hospital Services Union corruption scandal in Australia highlights a major challenge that would face a socialist society. Here was a case of workers handing over their union affairs to a handful of crooks and self-seekers. The latter overpaid themselves, diverted union resources for their own use, used high cost suppliers in return for kickbacks and handed out jobs to family members and loyal supporters. Would workers do the same with the means of production if they managed to wrest them from the capitalists?

Of course various formal regulatory and inspection arrangements would play some part in limiting fraud and incompetence but most of the time it would be about workers understanding that they have a new role and equipping themselves to perform it. I will call this role "sticking your nose in where it is not wanted". This would usually require workers to move well outside their existing comfort zone.  (Any therapist will tell you how important that is for personal growth!) It would also require  a strong desire to help achieve good outcomes.
 
You may find that someone above you or on your level is acting in a way that reduces the quality or increases the cost of a good or service. Your motivation to do something about  it would be two-fold. Firstly, you would resent the fact that your pride in your work has been diminished.  Secondly,  there is mutuality or reciprocity. By taking action you are not benefiting greatly unless you are a heavy user of the good or service yourself. This would not usually be the case. However, you know that most of the people producing all the goods and services you consume are going the extra yard to ensure high quality and least cost. So you are reciprocating. You would feel bad about not doing so.

The direct reward for sticking your neck out and enduring a bit of grief may be little or zero. However, you are rewarding others who are rewarding you through their actions.

Does this seem very unlikely?  I think it just requires the right conditions.  BTW reciprocity has always been a major feature of human society to some degree. I also think there is a bit a literature on the concept which might be worth a look.
 

Author: David Mc

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