Nepotism is a delicate issue. How can parents not use all of their resources to insure that their children will succeed? Is giving your relative a head start a scandalous violation of our society's conventions? Isn't blood thicker than water (or money)? On the other hand, don't we belong to a free country that gives everybody an equal opportunity? Do you wish to be passed over for a promotion by the unqualified niece of your boss' company? Does relation outweigh merit? Nepotism is a universal trait of living things, and used with ethics it can lead to success for generations, but used improperly, it has the capability to lead to corruption.

Nepotism, a practice that has existed as long as mankind, permeates our society, from business to politics. The word "Nepotism", originating from the Italian word "nepotismo", comes from the 14th century, when popes would often promote their...