I don't agree with you when you say "India never had a monopoly in Corruption" it's everywhere from the shop keeper to the electricity line man, the country revovles around black money, if you don't pay you don't get, Indians are weened on this. The authorities may make an example out of one or two, though if truth were known how many bribes did it cost to bring them to justice. The police force is infested with it, blatent bribes from bar owners in full view of the public to petty traffic shakedowns, not to mention the extra seasonal booty collected from the coastal resorts. On a governmental level it's pretty bad too, the local panchayat driving around in a car that speaks "i'm earning far more than my job pays me". It will take a lot more than a strong economy to shift corruption from India, it may sound cynical but when your faced with it on a everyday bases it's just a tad difficult to be positive.
I still believe what I wrote about corruption. As per older folks, the corruption was virtually unheard of in those old days(pre-independence)and if at all anything, just had to bribe only one person, the king! After the establishment of a 'socialist' constitution supporting a stifling license raj and parliamentary democracy(instead of a presidential system), the rest is history. To avoid duplication, I give you a couple of articles to read, one indepth report by a professional and another from a young student, both covering a lot of what I wanted to talk about.
Just give you an idea as to what to be done if India has to become corruption free. Only if India remove those communist socialist agendas requiring license rajs(see how hard it would be to start a business or to open a bar in India) and allow for freedom of movement of goods(see any interstate checkpost to see what I mean!) and limit those tax cheaters(here communists oppose computerisation as well as entry of multinationals in retailing who at least would collect sales taxes due to its inherently absent 'questionable customer relationships') thereby increasing goverment coffers, which are currently being made up by charging exorbitant excise and customs duties making people/enforcement agencies to become corrupt. As for those police and excise corrution, blame those outdated policies, dry laws etc that legislate human nature! I could go on but each of these topics will take pages to explain, but I have no time for it. Hope you got the idea.
As the economy opens up (people depend less on agriculture), with increased government tax collections, I am sure things will change. All countries have gone thru such a phase and India with its population explosion and limited resources, need a lot more time than a smaller country with a stagnant population. India's case can be compared to a couple thinking about family planning after the birth of their tenth child! I want to echo again what that student wrote 'The basic values of India are noble and therefore corruption cannot rule here forever. How soon and how she will get rid of it is the only question'.
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