If you do not tell them the truth, they will surely kill me today. Their earning power being directly related to crime levels, they set about deliberately fomenting lawlessness. They could then extract bribes from victims before registering crimes, and from criminals on pain of arrest. Indian judges took bribes only from one side and then felt honor-bound to find in that side's favor. As corruption became pervasive, the joke ceased being funny.
Corruption feeds on controls.
Government salaries divorce the status of officers from their income. For the bright young person with drive, initiative and self-belief, the private sector offers more attractive salary packages and greater scope for rapid career advancement. Since independence, civil servants have suffered relative deprivation of material rewards as businesses have prospered. Political interference, reduced attractiveness of service and declining morale have all combined to whittle away officials' will to remain honest. Bribery is so thoroughly institutionalized that most people engaged in the transactions are aware of the scale of the charges and the lateral and upwards percentage shares in the illicit rent.