Cultural Relativism As It Pertains To The Legal System In Mexico City

As we glimpse into the existence of bribery, as it pertains to the legal system in Mexico City, we are prompted to consider a variety of factors relating to morality and ethics. We can see that at one point it may have been a taboo to bribe a police officer, especially when it comes to traffic violations, as the transfer of money is traditionally hidden within the billfold for discretion (Brusseau, n.d., p. 195). However, as time went on and it became socially acceptable, it is not uncommon to see the transaction take place in broad daylight. That being said, we’re left to ponder how boundaries of morality have evolved in relation to bribery, specifically in this region. It is now acceptable, if not overtly expected, for the perpetrator to bribe a traffic officer with money, in exchange for being let to go on without citation or arrest. To some this may seem downright shocking, but as we take a closer look at the idea of cultural relativism, we allow our mind to expand and incorporate the idea of morality as relative to a certain region or people. Cultural relativism, as defined by

We have seen that both systems manage to be effective for their respective people. We also saw that neither system is perfect! That is to say, both have obvious flaws. Neither system has been able to eliminate corruption. Both systems are subject to prejudice and bias. In terms of morality, there is not one method that is expressly “better.” In terms of cultural relativism, it is not correct to even judge definition of “better,” between these two cultures. With the evidence presented as an argument in favor of cultural relativism, I am convinced that it is the correct way to look at things, because it is obvious that the idea of morality carries a different meaning between the two