Corruption is the father of tribalism, and greed is the mother of injustice; together they raise conflict as their child. - Thought • Quote

“ Corruption is the father of Tribalism, and Greed is the mother of Injustice; together they raise Conflict as their child. ” - TemQBS -

Quote Interpretations:

• Corruption, when entrenched in leadership, breeds tribalism because leaders use ethnic or regional loyalties to shield themselves from accountability. Greed, on the other hand, drives them to exploit resources unfairly, leading to systemic injustice. Together, they produce conflict — protests, coups, or even civil wars. For example, in many African nations, politicians exploit ethnic divisions during elections, offering state resources to their own tribe while marginalizing others. When coupled with greedy mismanagement of national wealth (e.g., oil or minerals), resentment grows, and violent conflict often follows, as seen in South Sudan’s civil war.

• On a smaller scale, corruption doesn’t only happen at the top; it can infect communities. Tribalism (favoring “our people” over others) comes when rules are bent to benefit one’s own kin or circle. Greed ensures injustice thrives, because people want more than their fair share. Together, they poison relationships, sparking disputes between neighbors, families, or groups. For instance, imagine a school system where administrators take bribes to admit children from their own ethnic group while rejecting more qualified applicants from others. Greedy favoritism leads to injustice, and soon mistrust and hostility break out between families in the community.

• Corruption (the decay of moral principles) gives birth to tribalism — a narrow “us vs. them” mentality that fractures humanity. Greed (an unquenchable hunger for more) gives birth to injustice — unfairness in how we treat one another. When these forces dominate individuals and societies, the inevitable “child” they raise is conflict — conflict within the self, between people, and among nations. For example, on a global scale, when wealthy nations hoard resources or manipulate weaker countries for gain, injustice grows. Combined with tribalistic nationalism, this leads to international tensions, trade wars, or armed conflict.

- TemQBS’ Food for Thought