Money and Being Morally Corrupt

In the Diamond as big as the Ritz we could all see that the washingtons were morally corrupt and it was discussed in much detail in class. I couldn't help thinking about a question about the washingtons though. Are the washingtons morally corrupt because of their wealth or are they wealthy because they are morally corrupt? It's a perplexing question, but in this blog post I'm going to compare both views and I want you to decide in the comments.

So let's look at wealthy people today, most of the moderately wealthy people go to school and get a 4 year degree and make good money. That's the traditional route. Other ways of making lots of money is through sports and owning small businesses. These are all honest professions and don't necessarily need corruption to get to the top. On the flip side though there are people who have used corruption to get to the top and make loads of money. Bernie Madoff and Jordan Belfort are two examples of that.

Well what exactly happens when you are at the top and you are making lots of money? Well, according to scientists the answer is corruption. There have been numerous times where the public have seen this unfold. Tiger woods and Warren Buffet are two examples. They both made their money honestly and reached the top but with all this money at their disposal they both became corrupt. Tiger Woods cheating on his wife, while Buffet has partnered with goldman sachs who is another company known for their corrupt and dishonest ways. He has been evading taxes as well.

So in terms of The Diamond As Big As The Ritz I believe the family was corrupt because of money.  They were born into it, but what's your opinion? Do you think more money just exposes the moral corruptness we have anyway? Or does money create the corruption?