Corrupt Exchanges Empirical Themes in the Politics and Political Economy of Corruption

Corruption undermines the market and challenges government legitimacy. Its hidden character, however, makes it troublesome to study empirically. Corrupt Exchanges seeks to overcome this difficulty using the tools of economics and political science. The papers, presented at the Zentrum for Interdisziplinäre Forschung in Bielefeld, Germany, in 2001, begin a dialogue across disciplinary lines. The contributors are a first-rate group of scholars using diverse techniques, both qualitative and quantitative. Their work demonstrates that, with patience and creativity, the empirical study of corruption is possible and can contribute to the policy debate. One group of papers deals with high-level political corruption especially involving Member States of the European Union. The second group focuses on bureaucratic corruption in developing and transition countries. The papers study particular instances and types of corruption and suggest solutions. This book will interest to those concerned with limiting corruption worldwide, including the business and the nonprofit communities and international aid and lending organizations. The editors are internationally recognized experts in the study of corruption. Donatella Della Porta is Professor of Political Science at the University of Florence and the author (with Alberto Vannucci) of Corrupt Exchanges (1999). Susan Rose-Ackerman is Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University and the author of Corruption and Government (1999).