Soapbox:

Tip or bribe?

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Money makes the world go around, we all know that. But in Egypt, much of this money takes the form of bribes and tips. We're tipping everyone now, not just waiters and parking attendants, but salesmen, ushers, and even bus attendants. Have things always been that way? Apparently, yes.

According to Professor of History Ahmed Abdel-Razeq Ahmed, bribery was your best bet for getting anywhere in Mameluke Egypt, as far back as the 13th century. You have a court case, you bribe. The taxman arrives in your village, you bribe. You want the taxman's job, you bribe. You can be anything you want, a market inspector, a palace dignitary, even an army commander, if you pay the right money to the right people. But how much exactly did you have to pay? It was all a matter of supply and demand.

When public jobs were in high demand, as in times of prosperity, the price of a government job went up. Sultans approved and even befriended the highest bidders. But not everyone was able to pay. When taxes got too high, farmers simply slipped their lands at night, preferring to abandon their property than to face the taxman. Fifteenth century scholar Al-Maqrizi describes the scene in these words, "When the countryside people suffered from the excess of burdens and the variety of injustices, their affairs went astray, their lives were turned upside down... so they left their homes."

As jobs went to the highest bidder, public service standards dipped. Police let criminals get away. And trade routes were continually ambushed. Remember this next time you dip into your pocket to keep the wheels in motion. The day will come when your pockets will not be deep enough.

This week's Soapbox speaker is deputy editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram .