Combating Corruption in developing countries

[jaiganes]

After one more buget in India, people are hailing the generous allotments to social sectors like health care services and food for rural poor. As usual as the budget, voices are heard from one quarter as to how much of this much needed money reaches the poor of this country really? Rajiv Gandhi , it was who startled the nation by saying that only 15% of the mone allotted for poor really reaches the poor.The situation is no different in many other developing nations around us. The questions this thread wishes to raise are:
1. What are the root causes of corruption?
2. What is the actual impact of corruption on common people?
3. Is there no solution for corruption?
4. Is democracy a hurdle in weeding out corruption?
5. What can elements of civil society do to remove corruption?
6. What can the common man do to combat corruption?
Much of these points have been discussed threadbare and beaten to death in media. Let those discussions of the past be the steps on which we will continue ours. Have your say. To facilitate proper serious discussions and also to extract solid points and suggestions every month a consolidated review will be made out of the discussion and posted in all leading newspapers of india. A copy will be posted in prime minister of india's site and also to the president of india website. Members of other countries may choose to do the same for their country. If they feel that their country has tackled corruption in a better way, let them post it and thier suggestions will find a place in the monthly review. Let the lights be lit, let the brightness spread and chase the darkness away. As a precursor to this discussion please read the following article as it consolidates most of the points already.