[blub]

I've seen many sorry excuses for dishonest business practices. They all fall apart when investigated closely.

Bribes and cheating are punished because "trust" is a very important thing a society. The disadvantages are plain as day in corruption-infested countries: unreliable and untrustworthy police, criminals getting away with almost anything, the government is openly working on enriching itself at the expense of the population, etc.