Graft, as understood inAmerican English, is a form ofpolitical corruption defined as the unscrupulous use of a politician'sauthority for personal gain. Political graft occurs when funds intended forpublic projects are intentionally misdirected in order to maximize the benefits to private interests. When taken on a macro level, graft is a core component of what is known as thegrift economy orgrift society, although it is possible for the two to be mutually exclusive.[1][2][3]
Political graft functions when the public officer is directed to purchase goods or services from aspecific private interest at a cost far above regularmarket rates. The private interest then siphons some of the gratuitousprofits to government officials who are able to ensure that futuregovernment spending continues in the same fashion so that this lucrative relationship continues. A member of a government maymisappropriate directly from government funds, but they may also make decisions benefiting their own private economic interests by using inside knowledge of upcoming government decisions to their benefit, in a manner similar toinsider trading.
Althoughthe conflict between public and private interests is common to all forms of corruption, the term "graft" is specific to the intentional misdirection of official funds. Although not the original usage of the term, graft in the modern context is commonly used as a blanket term for politicalembezzlement,influence peddling, or other forms of corruption. While embezzlement and influence peddling are elements sometimes present in graft, the relationship is not deterministic.[citation needed]
George W. Plunkitt coined the term "honest graft" ("I seen my opportunities and I took em."), distinguishing it from "dishonest graft" ("blackmailin' gamblers, saloonkeepers, disorderly people, etc.").[4] As an example, he cited buying land before it became known to the public that it had been earmarked for a new park, then selling it for a profit.[4]
The British definition is very different - a grafter is a person who works hard and conscientiously.