Abstract: This manuscript traces the historical evolution of corruption in India, from the Vedic age to the post-liberalization era in India. Corruption is an inbuilt system in the human mind, and it has persisted since civilization started. Corruption was accursed in texts like the Rigveda as a societal evil linked to poverty and deprivation. Though Kautilya’s Arthashastra has no mention of the word “corruption”, it is the most comprehensive and detailed text about various forms of corrupt official practices, detailing 40 types of embezzlement and proposing stringent penalties for each of them. Medieval India, under the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire, struggled with corrupt revenue systems, aggravated by decentralized governance and Jagirdari abuses. The colonial era under the British Raj institutionalized corruption through rigid administrative practices crafted especially to exploit the wealth of India and lay the foundation for systemic inequalities. Post-independence, the License Raj fostered bureaucratic corruption. Post-1991 liberalization, crony capitalism became apparent. India is still struggling to counter this system, which is deeply rooted in politics, society, and administration in various forms.
Shalini Bharti, Rochna Mittal. The history of corruption in India. Int J Political Sci Governance 2025;7(6):23-28. DOI: 10.33545/26646021.2025.v7.i6a.557
