[Global Corruption Report, 2004] Vote buying

Abstract

"One of the most blatant manifestations of political corruption takes place during elections, when politicians attempt to bribe their constituents directly. Focusing on Latin America and East Asia, respectively, Silke Pfeiffer and Frederic Charles Schaffer show that votes are often bought via brokers who forge long-term relationships with target populations, frequently in poorer regions. Using surveys of vote buying in Brazil, Claudio Weber Abramo questions assumptions about levels of bribery in both local and national elections. Leslie Busby assesses an altogether different forum for vote buying: international policy institutions. In her article, she examines the Japanese government’s use of overseas development aid to further its interests in the International Whaling Commission