Weak leadership and corruption

In my exalted previous post I was expressing admiration towards the American people and their values. I also noted that the Americans have been blessed with inspired leaders who contributed to the fortune of their great country. The development of the events that followed showed that I was wrong in crediting today’s lawmakers with the vision that characterized their more famous predecessors. By passing the bill to save the troubled financiers, the US congressmen embarrassed themselves and the great country they represent. While the economic benefit of their vote is uncertain, what is certain is that America and the values it stands for, are seriously jeopardized. It is an indicator that today's political leaders are weak and easily to be confused. It is true that the circumstances are exceptional, but it is the difficult times that show the great virtues in men. I will be watching with great interest the unfolding of the crisis that many believe it is the greatest after the Great Depression and the very fundamental principles of the free market and of the western world are at stake. I would not go that far. If it will be a recession it will be short lived and it will not bring to peril anything but weak businesses and inefficient companies. It will probably set new standards for the way the banking business is conducted, which is an absolutely great thing. Overall, it could be the case that the benefits will out weight the losses. Before all this will end, I have draw attention to something related to weak leadership. When a society's leaders become weak and ineffective, there is a great danger that the core values of that society will fade out, and the corruption will invade at every level. This is something that even scholars failed to notice: not only corruption leads to ineffective government, but also a weak leadership will give birth to corruption. When people fail to see in their leaders the guarantors for the society's values, then they will turn to their own personal interests and the societal priorities will be disregarded. This means the corruption will become widespread and this phenomenon will further generate weak leadership, in a self-enforcing loop. Beware, congressmen!