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Why good people are easily corrupted (with Lawrence Lessig)

May 27, 2019

Guest

Lawrence Lessig

Lawrence Lessig, a Harvard law professor and author of "America, Compromised," delves into institutional corruption, arguing that it can ensnare even good individuals. He discusses the relationship between capitalism and corruption, the polarizing nature of small donor politics, and the challenges posed by media consumption. Lessig emphasizes the need for reforms in representative democracy, along with greater political accountability. His insights shed light on the complexities of ethics and the potential for reimagining democracy in a polarized society.

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INSIGHT

Institutional Corruption

Institutions can be corrupt even if no individual within is corrupt.
Focus on whether the institution serves its intended purpose, not individual morality.

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INSIGHT

Institutional Purpose

Defining an institution's purpose is key to identifying corruption.
Openly discuss and reflect on an institution's purpose with stakeholders.

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ANECDOTE

What is a Politician's Job?

Joe Biden, in his announcement, stated people want politicians to "do their jobs."
Lessig notes the ambiguity of a politician's job: serve constituents, make the system work, or something else?

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Unpacking Institutional Corruption

03:21 • 7min

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Political Accountability and Institutional Integrity

10:02 • 21min

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Television's Political Power

31:22 • 14min

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Exploring Political Corruption and Media Polarization

45:06 • 3min

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Reforming Representative Democracy

48:29 • 13min

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Money, Politics, and Polarization

01:01:15 • 11min

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The Psychology of Corruption

01:12:16 • 10min

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How to Change

The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

Katy Milkman

In this ground-breaking book, Katy Milkman reveals a proven path to help readers move from where they are to where they want to be. Drawing on her original research and the work of her world-renowned scientific collaborators, Milkman shares strategic methods for identifying and overcoming common barriers to change, such as impulsivity, procrastination, and forgetfulness. The book offers innovative approaches like 'temptation bundling,' using timely reminders, and creating 'set-it-and-forget-it systems' to make change more achievable. It emphasizes the importance of tailoring solutions to specific roadblocks and using science to stack the deck in favor of successful change.

The half has never been told

Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism

Edward Baptist

This book by Edward E. Baptist argues that slavery was essential to the development of American capitalism. It explores the expansion and practices of chattel slavery, the economic engine driven by enslaved people, and the financial mechanisms such as letters of credit and banks that fueled land speculation and the westward expansion of slavery. The narrative includes intimate slave narratives, plantation records, newspapers, and the words of politicians, entrepreneurs, and escaped slaves. Baptist challenges traditional narratives of slavery, highlighting the agency and resistance of enslaved people and their significant role in their own emancipation during the Civil War.

Political order and political decay

From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalisation of Democracy

Francis Fukuyama

In this book, Francis Fukuyama continues his exploration of the formation and decay of political societies, begun in 'The Origins of Political Order'. He examines the development of modern political institutions from the French Revolution to contemporary times, including the impact of industrialization, colonialism, and the rise of global democracy. Fukuyama argues that a well-functioning modern state requires a balance between a strong, efficient state, the rule of law, and democratic accountability. He critiques the current state of American politics, highlighting issues such as 'vetocracy' and the judicialization of political processes, which he believes contribute to political decay. The book also explores case studies from various regions, including Europe, Asia, and Latin America, to illustrate different paths of political development and decay.

Code

The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software

Charles Petzold

In 'Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software', Charles Petzold provides a detailed and accessible explanation of how computers function. The book begins with historical technologies such as Morse code, Braille, and Boolean logic, and gradually builds up to explain vacuum tubes, transistors, integrated circuits, and modern computer architecture. Petzold uses everyday objects and familiar language systems to illustrate the development of computer technology, making the subject understandable for readers of various technical backgrounds. The book covers topics from the construction of logic gates and memory banks to operating systems and high-level languages, providing a thorough understanding of the digital revolution.

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism

The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power

Shoshana Zuboff

In this book, Shoshana Zuboff provides a comprehensive analysis of surveillance capitalism, a new economic order where corporations accumulate vast wealth and power by predicting and controlling human behavior. Zuboff details how this form of capitalism, originating in Silicon Valley, has spread into every economic sector, creating 'behavioral futures markets' where predictions about our behavior are bought and sold. She argues that this system, free from democratic oversight, poses significant threats to democracy, freedom, and human future, and urges readers to take action to protect their autonomy in the digital world.

America, Compromised

Lawrence Lessig

In *America, Compromised*, Lawrence Lessig argues that the problems in contemporary American life are not due to bad people but rather to the corruption of core institutions through compromise. He examines how institutions like Congress, finance, academia, media, and law are drawn away from their higher purposes toward money and power. Lessig emphasizes that these compromises, made by good people, contribute to the decay of American civic life.

I’ve been learning from, and arguing with, Harvard law professor Lawrence Lessig for a decade now. We have a long-running debate over whether money or polarization is the root cause of our political ills. But our debate works because we share a crucial belief: Bad institutions overwhelm good individuals.

In his latest book, America, Compromised, Lessig is doing something ambitious: He’s offering a new definition of institutional corruption, then showing how it plays out in politics, academia, the media, Wall Street, and the legal system. This is a definition of corruption that doesn’t require any individual to be corrupt. But it’s a definition that, if you accept it, suggests much of our society has been corrupted.

Here, Lessig and I discuss what corruption is, how to understand an institution’s purpose, whether capitalism is itself corrupting, our upcoming books about the media, how small donors polarize politics, Lessig’s critique of democracy, why good people are particularly susceptible to institutional corruption, whether we should ban private money in politics, and ways to reinvent representative democracy. So, you know, nothing too big or heady.

Book recommendations:

The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalismby Edward E. Baptist

Political Order and Political Decay: From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy by Francis Fukuyama

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Powerby Shoshana Zuboff

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