Constraining political corruption: an empirical analysis of the impact of democracy

The present article addresses the relationship between democracy and political corruption. Extending past studies, this article introduces important refinements that respond to theoretical and methodological concerns. The theoretical framework proposed here is developed based on an electoral conception of democracy, which makes it possible to avoid the potential endogeneity problems associated with substantial definitions of democracy. I argue that despite the influence of other important aspects of democracy, elections and inter-party competition per se help to constrain political corruption. The article examines two analytical dimensions of democracy, the current level of democracy and its degree of consolidation over time. Unlike previous studies, a cross-national empirical analysis of a sample of more than 100 countries reveals that when tested together, the level of democracy and its degree of longitudinal variation are both significantly related to the control of corruption. The level of democracy affects corruption in a non-linear way. Hybrid regimes that are more autocratic than democratic show a lower level of corruption control than democracies, near-democracies, and closed dictatorships. The analysis also confirms that, despite having adopted different measures, more consolidated democracies are more powerful in constraining corruption.     

Does faith limit immorality? The politics of religion and corruption

Critically considering scholarship relating religiosity to ethical behaviour, we contend that religion is systematically related to levels of corruption, and that the nature of this relationship is contingent on the presence of democratic institutions. In democracies, where political institutions are designed to inhibit corrupt conduct, the morality provided by religion is related to attenuated corruption. Conversely, in systems lacking democratic institutions, moral behaviour is not tantamount to staying away from corrupt ways. Accordingly, in non-democratic contexts, religion would not be associated with decreased corruption. Time-series cross-sectional analyses of aggregate data for 129 countries for 12 years, as well as individual level analyses of data from the World Values Surveys, strongly corroborate the predictions of our theory. The correlation of religion with reduced corruption is conditional on the extent to which political institutions are democratic.     

Compulsory voting and ethnic diversity increase invalid voting while corruption does not: an analysis of 417 parliamentary elections in 73 countries

Invalid voting, meaning blank and spoiled ballots, is a regular phenomenon in democracies around the world. When its share is larger than the margin of victory or greater than the vote share of some of the large parties in the country, invalid voting becomes a problem for democratic legitimacy. This article investigates its determinants in 417 democratic parliamentary elections in 73 countries on five continents from 1970 to 2011. The analysis shows that enforced compulsory voting and ethnic fragmentation are strong predictors for invalid voting while corruption has less impact. Our findings suggest that the societal structure is crucial in understanding invalid voting as a problem for democratic legitimacy because greater social diversity seems to lead to either a greater rate of mistakes or lesser attachments of social groups to the democratic process. Thus, rising levels of invalid voting are not only concerning in themselves but also for the divisive factors driving them.     

Families in need of supervision

Abstract

Even judiciaries that do not have histories of serious or pervasive corruption need to be watchful lest what I refer to as judicial corrosion occurs. Drawing on studies of institutional entropy, I identify some of the external and internal sources of such corrosion and comment briefly on challenges that face its prevention or repair within the judicial realm.     

内地和港台地区贪污贿赂举报制度之比较

举报在反贪污贿赂斗争中发挥着重要作用。内地与港台地区都建立了对贪污贿赂案件的举报制度。与港台地区相比,内地的贪污贿赂举报制度尚存在一些缺陷,如相关规定法律层级不高、规定不够具体,对举报人的保护不够充分,奖励制度不够完善等。借鉴港台地区对贪污贿赂举报的立法经验,对完善内地的贪污贿赂举报制度有积极意义。     

新形势下提高反腐倡廉建设科学化水平的途径初探

目前在我国要防治腐败,提高反腐倡廉建设科学化水平,关键是要构建三位一体的腐败防治防线,即加强廉政文化建设,从根本上使人不想腐败;完善反腐倡廉制度建设,从体制上使人不能腐败;强化监督机制,从力度上使人不敢腐败。新形势下提高反腐倡廉建设科学化水平必须"以教育引领,加强廉政文化建设;以制度保障,完善反腐倡廉制度建设;以监督约束,强化反腐倡廉监督机制"。     

村务监督委员会在“村官”腐败治理中的作用与职能优化

"村官"腐败问题的相关研究成果主要包括"村官"腐败问题的成因、特点、危害及治理对策等方面,其中,监督机制是治理"村官"腐败问题的重要对策之一。村务监督委员会在村级组织结构中具有重要地位,具有权力制衡、全面监督、全程监督、全民监督的优势,能够有效制约"村官"腐败行为的产生。发挥及优化村务监督委员会治理"村官"腐败功能的对策:一要保证监督机构的独立性,二要提高监督人员的专业性,三要加强监督工作的互动性,四要转变监督重点,五要加强自身建设。     

我国司法腐败的现状、成因及对策探析

司法腐败侵害司法公正、削弱司法公信力并将导致腐败现象的恶性蔓延。引发司法腐败的原因既有司法工作人员的个人因素,也有司法系统的体制因素。有效遏制司法腐败的对策,一是提高司法工作人员的自身素质,推进司法独立,以实现预防司法腐败;二是加强人大、政协对司法活动的监督,鼓励新闻媒体监督司法活动及保障公众对司法活动的监督;三是强化对司法腐败的惩治力度,警示潜在的腐败分子,从而最终实现对司法腐败的治理,还司法公正于民,促进社会健康和谐发展。     

Corruption and Economic Development in West African Economic and Monetary Union （UEMOA）

The theoretical and empirical debate on the effects of corruption on economic development is unclear. Available cross-country evidence suggests that the impact of corruption on economic development may be either positive or negative. It is widely assumed that the struggle against corruption is essential for economic growth. However, corruption is clearly a multidimensional concept, encompassing a variety of discrete components. The author reviews the theory underlying these different causal mechanisms linking corruption to economic growth, and provides an introduction to some outstanding measurement issues. This paper takes a critical look at the effect of corruption on economic development in West African Economic and Monetary Union （UEMOA）. The major results of the investigation indicate that all UEMOA countries are corrupt according to the variables of the Worldwide Governance Indicators （WGI）. UEMOA countries have a deficiency to control corruption, so they need to improve their system of control. As a result, the fight against corruption is still a necessary job for all of UEMOA people.     

腐败成因诸视角述评及综合治理原则

十八大以来,随着反腐败斗争和廉政建设的不断深化,对腐败现象的治理已经成为推动国家治理体系和治理能力现代化,实现"法治中国"的重要途径。国内学者对腐败成因的观察视角各有不同,大体归纳为经济学、政治学与公共管理学、法学三大方面。然而,任何单一视角对腐败成因的分析都存在其有效性,同时也存在诸多不足。基于腐败问题的复杂性及政治危害性,任何单一视角下的解决策略都难以实现对腐败的有效治理。因此,必须多视角分析腐败产生的原因,坚持综合治理腐败的原则,才能有效地惩治腐败,并对未来的腐败治理实践提供参考借鉴。