24th Annual Student Research Conference
Veto Points and Corruption: How Government Fragmentation Influences the Misuse of Public Office
Elizabeth D. Hatting
Dr. John Quinn, Faculty Mentor
Naim has suggested that a corruption eruption has recently arisen as an international problem and is creating a crisis of legitimacy for states around the globe. As opportunities for corruption increase in the developing world, understanding the reasons for and factors influencing this explosion of corrupt behavior is vital. Specifically, the number of veto points within a state has been suggested as a primary factor influencing the propensity for corrupt governments by Tsebelis and others. This paper uses a dual model approach to a large-N study of the relationship between the number of veto points and the Corruption Perception Index of a state. Through regression analysis, I find that the link between the fragmentation of power and corruption is inconclusive, although suggestive of the importance of governmental division and political freedom in decreasing perceptions of corruption within the state.
Keywords: Corruption, Veto Points
Topic(s):Political Science
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 11-4
Location: MG 1000
Time: 8:45