---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Corruption, embezzlement, fraud, these…"
description: "\"Corruption, embezzlement, fraud, these are all characteristics which exist everywhere. It is regrettably the way human nature functions, whether we lik..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/alan-greenspan-1834_characteristics_corruption-embezzlement-fraud-these-are_1668945.png"
---

#  Corruption, embezzlement, fraud, these are all…

![“Corruption, embezzlement, fraud, these are all characteristics which exist everywhere. It is regrettably the way human nature functions, whether we like it or not. What successful economies do is keep it to a minimum. No one has ever eliminated any of that stuff.” quote by Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/alan-greenspan-1834_characteristics_corruption-embezzlement-fraud-these-are_1668945.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/alan-greenspan-1834_characteristics_corruption-embezzlement-fraud-these-are_1668945.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/alan-greenspan-1834_characteristics_corruption-embezzlement-fraud-these-are_1668945.png)

> “Corruption, embezzlement, fraud, these are all characteristics which exist everywhere. It is regrettably the way human nature functions, whether we like it or not. What successful economies do is keep it to a minimum. No one has ever eliminated any of that stuff.”

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Corruption is a universal human flaw; economies succeed by minimizing it, not eliminating it.

**In simple terms:** Corruption is universal; control it.

Key Takeaway

Implement strong safeguards and transparency.

Themes

economics ethics human nature

Mood

analytical pragmatic

Type

policy economic

When to use this quote

- business practice

Key Concepts

public policy institutional design

Questions to Reflect On

- What systems can reduce corruption effectively?
- How do cultural norms affect ethical behavior?

A Different Perspective

Eliminating corruption entirely is unrealistic.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Fraud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fraud/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/)

## Related quotes

> [Successful economies in the modern world are not sheepish about the power and responsibility of the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/successful-economies-in-the-modern-world-are-not-sheepish-about-the/)

[David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/)

> [In Asia, a lot of successful economies that had been living on their own saving, decided to open up their financial markets to international…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-sachs/in-asia-a-lot-of-successful-economies-that-had-been-living-on-their/)

[Jeffrey Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-sachs/)

> [The art of investment has one characteristic that is not generally appreciated. A creditable, if unspectacular, result can be achieved by the lay investor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-art-of-investment-has-one-characteristic-that-is-not-generally/)

[Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/)

> [Any informed borrower is simply less vulnerable to fraud and abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/any-informed-borrower-is-simply-less-vulnerable-to-fraud-and-abuse/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [Keep your expectations to a minimum and you'll be less disappointed that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rona-nunez/keep-your-expectations-to-a-minimum-and-you-ll-be-less-disappointed/)

[Rona Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rona-nunez/)

> [I don't leave my house - I don't care if it's raining or scorching hot out - without a face cream with a minimum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-dupont/i-don-t-leave-my-house-i-don-t-care-if-it-s-raining-or-scorching-hot/)

[Tiffany Dupont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-dupont/)

> [Obama's gonna play Santa Claus with the minimum wage. He's got no successes to brag about. He cannot talk about a robust job market.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/obama-s-gonna-play-santa-claus-with-the-minimum-wage-he-s-got-no/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [A minimum wage leads to higher levels of unemployment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/a-minimum-wage-leads-to-higher-levels-of-unemployment/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [I want to break up the Wall Street banks. Hillary Clinton doesn't. I want to raise the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-want-to-break-up-the-wall-street-banks-hillary-clinton-doesn-t-i/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [We do not need to achieve some minimum level or capacity or goodness before God will help - divine aid can be ours every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-todd-christofferson/we-do-not-need-to-achieve-some-minimum-level-or-capacity-or-goodness/)

[D. Todd Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-todd-christofferson/)

> [In an age of interdependence, global citizenship - based on trust and sense of shared responsibility - is a crucial pillar of progress. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/in-an-age-of-interdependence-global-citizenship-based-on-trust-and/)

[Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/)

> [Reading isn't an occupation we encourage among police officers. We try to keep the paperwork down to a minimum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-orton/reading-isn-t-an-occupation-we-encourage-among-police-officers-we-try/)

[Joe Orton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-orton/)

> [Like most writers, I write about what has happened to me as that involves the minimum amount of research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/like-most-writers-i-write-about-what-has-happened-to-me-as-that/)

[Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/)

> [In the lead up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-zinni/in-the-lead-up-to-the-iraq-war-and-its-later-conduct-i-saw-at-a/)

[Anthony Zinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-zinni/)

> [The minimum that most minimalists want leaves in place just the institutions who protect their interests. That's libertarians for you - anarchists who want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley-robinson/the-minimum-that-most-minimalists-want-leaves-in-place-just-the/)

[Kim Stanley Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley-robinson/)

## More by Alan Greenspan

> [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [At the risk of some oversimplification, if the skill composition of our work force meshed fully with the needs of our increasingly complex capital-stock,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/at-the-risk-of-some-oversimplification-if-the-skill-composition-of/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [To succeed, you will soon learn, as I did, the importance of a solid foundation in the basics of education - literacy, both verbal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/to-succeed-you-will-soon-learn-as-i-did-the-importance-of-a-solid/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [I've always argued that this country has benefited immensely from the fact that we draw people from all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/i-ve-always-argued-that-this-country-has-benefited-immensely-from-the/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [I cannot conceive of a politically feasible solution to this problem which will overdo cutting the deficit, where overdoing means harming the economy. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/i-cannot-conceive-of-a-politically-feasible-solution-to-this-problem/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [Before I met Ayn Rand, I was a logical positivist, and accordingly, I didn't believe in absolutes, moral or otherwise. If I couldn't prove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/before-i-met-ayn-rand-i-was-a-logical-positivist-and-accordingly-i/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [ Skilled shortages in America exist because we are shielding our skilled labor force from world competition. \[Visa quotas\] have been substituted for the wage… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/skilled-shortages-in-america-exist-because-we-are-shielding-our/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [A decline in the national housing price level would need to be substantial to trigger a significant rise in foreclosures, because the vast majority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/a-decline-in-the-national-housing-price-level-would-need-to-be/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [Although the outlook is clouded by a number of uncertainties, the central tendencies of the projections .. imply continued good economic performance in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/although-the-outlook-is-clouded-by-a-number-of-uncertainties-the/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [At the outset of the creation of the euro in 1999, it was expected that the southern eurozone economies would behave like those in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/at-the-outset-of-the-creation-of-the-euro-in-1999-it-was-expected/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [We may be in a rapidly evolving international financial system with all the bells and whistles of the so-called new economy. But the old-economy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/we-may-be-in-a-rapidly-evolving-international-financial-system-with/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [The guiding purpose of the government regulator is to prevent rather than to create something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/the-guiding-purpose-of-the-government-regulator-is-to-prevent-rather/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [“government regulation cannot substitute for individual integrity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/government-regulation-cannot-substitute-for-individual-integrity/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [...our market system depends critically on trust-trust in the word of our colleagues and trust in the word of those with whom we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/our-market-system-depends-critically-on-trust-trust-in-the-word-of/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [It's hard to overemphasize how important Ford's deregulation was. True, most of the benefits took years to unfold-rail freight rates, for example hardly budged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/it-s-hard-to-overemphasize-how-important-ford-s-deregulation-was-true/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

[Explore all 204 Alan Greenspan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

## More Characteristics quotes

> [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/)

[Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/)

> [“What makes a good leader? I ask myself this every day, and then as I begin to list off characteristics I realize I’m describing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/what-makes-a-good-leader-i-ask-myself-this-every-day-and-then-as-i/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [Those who know New York City primarily through tourism or mass culture may think of us natives as possessing certain shared characteristics, not all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/those-who-know-new-york-city-primarily-through-tourism-or-mass/)

[Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/)

> [Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. It is never an easy thing to do. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/sometimes-ms-lane-he-said-one-must-break-with-one-s-past-to-embrace/)

[Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/)

> [Just because someone thinks they remember something in detail, with confidence and with emotion, does not mean that it actually happened, .. False memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-loftus/just-because-someone-thinks-they-remember-something-in-detail-with/)

[Elizabeth Loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-loftus/)

> [Consequently, citizen legislators, rotating back to their communities after a short period of public service—considered an indispensable and routine characteristic and design of representative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/consequently-citizen-legislators-rotating-back-to-their-communities/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [A second characteristic of the process which for me is the good life, is that it involves an increasingly tendency to live fully in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/a-second-characteristic-of-the-process-which-for-me-is-the-good-life/)

[Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/)

> [Philanthropy is one of the most hopeful characteristics of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-livermore/philanthropy-is-one-of-the-most-hopeful-characteristics-of-our-time/)

Mary Livermore

> [God has given this way of life to Israel: to abstain from everything which is contrary to nature, that is to say, anger, fits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/god-has-given-this-way-of-life-to-israel-to-abstain-from-everything/)

[Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/)

> [The most significant moment will be when we stop referring to the hiring of qualified women (and racial, ethnic and religious minorities) as significant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-trask/the-most-significant-moment-will-be-when-we-stop-referring-to-the/)

Amy Trask

> [Iron and coal dominated everywhere, from grey to black: the black boots, the black stove-pipe hat, the black coach or carriage, the black iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/iron-and-coal-dominated-everywhere-from-grey-to-black-the-black-boots/)

[Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/)

> [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [ \[Joseph\] Stalin closes the exposition of these \[Leon Trotsky\] ideas with the words, "Such are in general the characteristic features of \[Vladimir\] Lenin's conception… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/joseph-stalin-closes-the-exposition-of-these-leon-trotsky-ideas-with/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [It is true that 'I seem to see a table' does not entail 'I see a table'; but 'I seem to feel a pain'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galen-strawson/it-is-true-that-i-seem-to-see-a-table-does-not-entail-i-see-a-table/)

[Galen Strawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galen-strawson/)

Browse all 1,325 Characteristics quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Corruption, embezzlement, fraud, these are all characteristics which exist everywhere. It is regrettably the way human nature functions, whether we like it or not. What successful economies do is keep it to a minimum. No one has ever eliminated any of that stuff.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Alan Greenspan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/corruption-embezzlement-fraud-these-are-all-characteristics-which/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Characteristics"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/corruption-embezzlement-fraud-these-are-all-characteristics-which/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/alan-greenspan-1834_characteristics_corruption-embezzlement-fraud-these-are_1668945.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/alan-greenspan-1834_characteristics_corruption-embezzlement-fraud-these-are_1668945.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/alan-greenspan-1834_characteristics_corruption-embezzlement-fraud-these-are_1668945.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Corruption, embezzlement, fraud, these are all characteristics which exist everywhere. It is regrettably the…” — Alan Greenspan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Alan Greenspan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Corruption, embezzlement, fraud, these are all...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/corruption-embezzlement-fraud-these-are-all-characteristics-which/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/corruption-embezzlement-fraud-these-are-all-characteristics-which/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
