Allurement

Allurement

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Allurement

Definition:

Something that persuades one to perform a wrongful act for pleasure or gain.  A gift or payment meant to induce an official act.   

Source:

Macmillan Dictionary; the English-Hindi Dictionary; Comments from UNISHKA

Word in Use:

“FIt has been alleged that [the two brothers], enticed serving defence officers with gifts and allurements in cash and kind.”  Frontline, March 20, 2015, “Spooks and spies, past and present 
Witnesses often do not support the prosecution case because of influence, allurement and intimidation from the other side”; Effective Legal and Practical Measures for Combating Corruption: A Criminal Justice Response—An Indian Perspective by Dharam Chand Jain.

See Also:

Inducement  

Comment

Primarily used in India but occasionally used globally.  Not to be confused with “allurement” for religious conversion as defined in several laws in South Asian countries (see below). While “allurement” for religious conversion has a similar meaning, in relation to corruption “allurement” generally refers to the gift or payment used to induce an act that would not otherwise be voluntarily given: “The prosecutor’s recommendation was induced by the gift of a Rolex watch and other allurements paid by the company’s president.” In this instance, “allurements” can refer to tickets to sporting events, sponsored travel, employment for a relative, or anything of value or coveted by the prosecutor.  

For ‘allurement’ in relation to religious conversions see: Michael Hertzberg (2020) The gifts of allurement: anti-conversion legislation, gift-giving, and political allegiance in South Asia, Journal of Contemporary Religion, 35:1, 93-114; quoting Owens, Alexandra. 2006–2007.“Using Legislation to Protect against Unethical Conversions in Sri Lanka.” Journal of Law and Religion 22 (2): 323–351.  

Allurement’ is defined as the offer of any temptation for the purpose of converting a person professing one religion to another religion, in the form of: “(i) any gift or gratification whether in cash or kind, (ii) a grant of any material benefit, whether monetary or otherwise, (iii) the grant of employment or grant of promotion in employment” (Owens 2006–2007, 337). 

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