Corruption

Corruption is identified as a problem within the Afghan government but Westerners often think of it in too simplistic of terms – “Corruption is corruption.”  Afghans distinguish between different types of corruption: administrative corruption (اداری فساد), corruption (فساد), and a low level bribe (بخشيش - baksheesh).   A baksheesh is between 100-1000 Afs, and it's kind of like a tip. 

•  An example of administrative corruption is a governor paying the Ministry of Interior for a preferred post, or receiving payment from a party wanting X plots of government land.

• 'Corruption' might be policemen taking a bribe to release a prisoner (the word for the actual bribe is  رشوت  - reshwat).

•  An example of baksheesh is an additional fee charged on the base price of an identity card (تذکيره - tazkira) application.  Rather than asking for a 'baksheesh' outright, people might say, “Here is your tea (chai),” when giving small denominations to a low level official.  It's like a pre-emptive tip, which helps grease the wheels and move things along. 

People in Afghanstan are more concerned about the large scale endemic corruption in the government than the smaller 'baksheesh' infractions.  However, all levels of corruption affect different segments of the population.  The poor are hit much harder than the middle class and rich.  A common Pashtu saying reflects this sentiment:  “If I am full in the stomach, I don’t care about corruption.  If I am hungry, I care about corruption.” (does anyone know this proverb in Pashto?).

Basically, low-level corruption stems from necessity rather than greed.  Low level officials aren't collecting bakhsheesh because they're trying to pad their bank accounts or retire early.  They do it to feed their families, because the regular government pay just doesn't cut it.