Nepotism in Our Society

Nepotism is a delicate issue. How can parents not use all of their resources to insure that their children will succeed? Is giving your relative a head start a scandalous violation of our society's conventions? Isn't blood thicker than water (or money)? On the other hand, don't we belong to a free country that gives everybody an equal opportunity? Do you wish to be passed over for a promotion by the unqualified niece of your boss' company? Does relation outweigh merit? Nepotism is a universal trait of living things, and used with ethics it can lead to success for generations, but used improperly, it has the capability to lead to corruption.

Nepotism, a practice that has existed as long as mankind, permeates our society, from business to politics. The word "Nepotism", originating from the Italian word "nepotismo", comes from the 14th century, when popes would often promote their nephews (illegitimate children) to high ranking positions in the church or military. The subject can be looked at from two distinctively different viewpoints. The pro-nepotism side would consider nepotism as, "the practice of showing favor to family members, a time- honored tradition in many small businesses and in quite a few larger ones, too. From the small-town hardware store to the car dealership to some of America's largest media empires, the son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter of the founder holds the reins. Less precisely, nepotism has come to mean gaining opportunity because of one's family connections." It could also be described as "patronage within the family circle, thus a natural way for anybody in power, or aspiring to it, to strengthen his support in a society where other institutions are weak o...

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