POL4497W: Patronage & Corruption

This course examines dysfunction within the state apparatus -- in the specific forms of patronage, corruption, and clientalism -- and asks why such dysfunction persists and what factors drive it to change. The first half of the course will be primarily devoted to patronage. It will examine the functioning of the patronage mechanism; ask when and why patronage is abandoned in favor of meritocracy; and will assess the relationship between merit reforms and changes in the quality of governance. The second half of the course will be devoted to corruption. Specific topics to be covered will include: an examination of different forms of corruption, both at the level of political leaders and of bureaucratic officials; the relationship between corruption, democracy, transparency and accountability; governments' manipulation of corruption to provide incentives to bureaucratic and party officials; and different means of combating corruption. The course will conclude with an examination of the relationship between patronage, corruption, clientalism and party politics, with a particular focus on the mechanisms that cause the correlation between these different forms of mis-governance.

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