Corruption is the degree to which a government prioritizes its needs over its people's needs.<p>An early example of an anti-corruption measure would be the Magna Carta, which established limits on what an English monarch could do to his subjects.  Anglo / American history is essentially one long struggle against corruption.  It eventually manifested itself in the form of a government that by definition serves it's people rather than a group of subjects who serve a monarch.  Hundreds of years of war, revolution, writings, beheadings and torture eventually eroded the power of government to where it is today.  There are very few shortcuts around that.  In order to stop corruption people need to be willing to risk their lives, freedom or well being.