Baksheesh - Bribes in the Middle East and Asia
Origins
The word baksheesh has it's origins in the Persian bakshish which in turn comes from the Middle Persian bakshishn and baksh - meaning to give presents.
As a result of the spread of the Islamic Empire following the death of Muhammad many words came into common use from Morocco as far east as India. Baksheesh was one of them as it appealed to something very deep in the Middle Eastern and East Asian mentality.
Types of baksheesh
There are three main ways to look at baksheesh.
- Giving charity to beggars. Throughout India beggars will solicit alms by crying 'bakseesh, baba!'.
- Tipping. This does not correlate with the Western system of leaving tipping for a waiter. Rather it is a sign of gratitude, respect or veneration. An offering to the gods may be considered baksheesh. A sadhu may also ask for baksheesh but there is no thought in his mind that he is begging. In fact, in India and the Muslim world the giver of alms often salutes the beggar for having given the opportunity to gain merit.
- Outright bribery. When a policeman catches you with a chillum full of charas you may have the choice between going to jail or else paying baksheesh to a lesser amount. Baksheesh is considered a perfectly normal way of getting things done in many countries and is often the only way to accomplish something. An example would be in the goa trance scene where baksheesh of up to $5000 was paid to the chief of police to give permission to stage raves.
In conclusion
A phenomenon in Bombay is that it is actually possible to buy baksheesh tickets from the police station at a lesser rate than their value. Thus armed the average citizen saves money on baksheesh paid to officers through the course of the year. The civil service in many Asian countries is so badly paid that its operatives could not survive on their salaries and are obliged to collect baksheesh just to live. In fact for the most important positions a police chief may even pay for a lucrative posting. The culture of baksheesh also ensures that there is always a way to get things done.