Man, they don't play around over there. you take a bribe, you die. http://money.cnn.com/2007/05/29/news/international/china_death_sentence.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes
Actually the level of corruption is much worse in China than in the US. The reason is the politicians get paid when they get out of civil service, they can become consultants, board members, give speeches and write books. In China once you leave office you are not going to get much money for the most part, so you have to use the power to get the money while you are in office, which results in high number of corrupt government officials. They can kill a few but that haven't stopped the others from following their footsteps. The old Chinese saying is as long as there is money to be made, people will be willing to risk their lives. In the US the politicians spend taxpayer's money but take bribes when they are out of office, so it is the legal way of getting bribes, I guess it still beats the Chinese system where the officials take bribes outright.
I took the article as "if you're corrupt and incompetent, then you deserve to die." They're making an example out of him and milking it. Food quality is not something to be messed with.
I took a bribe once, a box of Oreos not to tell on my cousin for drawing on the wall, punishable by death in China, phew thank god im in the USA! USA! USA!
This just happened in Zimbabwe. An official caught taking a bribe dies of kidney failure...at 46: http://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=17847 Zimbabwe: Official Accused of Diamond Smuggling Dies By Zach Helke Posted: 05/29/07 15:49 [Submit Comment] RAPAPORT... Zimbabwe’s principal director in the Ministry Without Portfolio Cde William Nhara, passed away May 28, 2007 in St. Anne’s Hospital in Harare, according to state media. The 46-year-old had just been granted ZIM5 million bail to seek treatment for his ailing kidneys. As reported by Rapaport News, Nhara was arrested along with Carole Georges El Martni of Lebanon on March 1, after unsuccessfully bribing a detective with $700. Nhara was allegedly trying to help Martni board a flight for Dubai with some 10,700 carats in illicit rough. Since his arrest, he was exempted several times from court appearances due to long term chronic kidney problems, and was finally granted bail in order to seek medical treatment before his trial, which was scheduled for mid-June. Mourners are intending to bury him at his home in Chivi, Zimbabwe, on May 30. Nhara was a Zanu-PF spokesperson with a distinguished career in public service, having served as executive director of the Southern African Institute for Democracy and Good Governance from 2000 until taking his post in 2005. Before this he held various positions in civil service, as a research assistant, social welfare officer, field research supervisor, and senior administrative officer in the International Organizations Department for Africa and Middle East in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The chief secretary to the president and cabinet, Dr. Misheck Sibanda, said that he had learned of the death of his colleague with great sadness. Sibanda said that Nhara was a long-serving member of the civil service and his loss would be felt by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the diplomatic corps, as well as the Office of the President and Cabinet. While the secretary recognized the controversial allegations his colleague faced, he nevertheless offered his “"deepest condolences” to the Nhara family on behalf of the Presidency. "In spite of the allegations he faced at the time of his death, William was a committed patriot at heart, one who devoted his time and skills to defending his country and people, both at home and abroad,” the secretary said. "This salutary side of him will be instructive to many in the Public Service.”
Actually, I read in an econ book that for each death penalty there are four less murders than without. Of course, in my honest opinion, economics is the biggest crock of bull****.