Critical mass and anti-corruption movements

In social theory, the term “critical mass” refers to the phenomenon of having enough actors and groups that become big enough to create change. The term is self-explanatory: movements need to accumulate a certain number of agents in order to change a setting or an outcome.

Great social movements are often based upon critical mass -- one that is composed not only of government, but civil society groups, scholars and the academe, and of course, the general public. 

The accumulation of critical mass and the effects it can have on our society are not new to us, and we have also heard of stories of mass social movements on race, rights, and expressions of freedom that have created tidal waves of change across countries. They did this by changing perspectives, legislation, and even national cultures. The concept of critical mass has expanded from mere protesting to doing groundwork, influencing mindsets, and allowing more buy-ins from people to support the cause or the idea.

Imagine a country where we have achieved critical mass for zero-tolerance of corruption, widespread transparency and accountability, a movement fuelled by unfortunate events, but sustained over time. 

Anti-corruption movements in the Philippines are in a critical position. Key movers are either fatigued or feel that they are a minority in places where corrupt activities proliferate. 

For instance, I was speaking with a professor on the dangers of studying corruption in the country. Their group that studied corrupt activity in a key sector in the Philippines uncovered that bribes to public sector officials ranged from 40%-50% of the total award amount. While these findings were significant, being the minority meant that their lives would be in danger, which would lead to these findings never seeing the light of day. 

Another is the fatigue of constantly pushing for reforms. Many anti-corruption advocates have lamented the non-passage of the Freedom of Information bill and the non-release of Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth by public officials, among many other notable bills. We see a glimmer of hope in the Marcos Jr. administration as the digitalization of government transactions is