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Comment by StreamBright | Hacker News Reader

It seems like bodies of government without accountability have something in common: corruption.

This was not a case of corruption. Incompetence, discrimination, and lack of accountability, but not corruption. Most civil servants involved believed they were doing the right thing (despite ruining many lives in reality), and none profited personally, provided favours, or pocketed money.

"Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted with a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain."

I use corruption in the dictionary definition sense. I guess you think that corruption only means bribery.

GP used the same definition - employees of the tax-office received no illicit benefits or personal gain.

> […] in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain.

There was no personal gain nor illicit benefits gained by the civil servants responsible. For something to be corruption, the perpetrator has to gain something.

Would a promotion (or not losing your job) count as a gain?

It might be a gain, but that doesn't make it corruption.

I'd say no to keeping your job, and yes to a promotion only if it is accelerated.

You think that they did this because they are purely evil? I think they had to gain something. Maybe the gain was less work.

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