Corruption regularly makes front page headlines: public officials embezzling government monies, selling public offices, and trading bribes for favors to private companies generate public indignation and calls for reform. In Corruption: What Everyone Needs to Know?, renowned scholars Ray Fisman and Miriam A. Golden provide a deeper understanding of why corruption is so damaging politically, socially, and economically. Among the key questions examined are: is corruption the result of perverse economic incentives? Does it stem from differences in culture and tolerance for illicit acts of government officials? Why don't voters throw corrupt politicians out of office? Vivid examples from a wide range of countries and situations shed light on the causes of corruption, and how it can be combated.

Ray Fisman is the Slater Family Chair in Behavioral Economics at Boston University. He is the coauthor of Economic Gangsters (with Edward Miguel); and The Org and The Inner Lives of Markets (both with Tim Sullivan).
Miriam A. Golden is a Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles. As a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, she has conducted research on corruption and political malfeasance in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Contents

List of Figures
1 Introduction
2 What Is Corruption?
3 Where is Corruption Most Prevalent?
4 What Are the Consequences of Corruption?
5 Who is Involved in Corruption, and Why?
6 What are the Cultural Bases of Corruption?
7 How Do Political Institutions Affect Corruption?
8 How Do Countries Shift from High to Low Corruption?
9 What Can Be Done To Reduce Corruption?
Endnotes
Figures