I've seen many sorry excuses for dishonest business practices. They all fall apart when investigated closely. Bribes and cheating are punished because "trust"

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.