Eye and the Whip: Corruption Control in the Americas

Transparency measures must be paired with enforcement to fight corruption. Vulnerabilities to corruption exist where government officials hold power over the provision of goods and the imposition of costs. Paul Lagunes' book, "The Eye and the Whip," applies field experiments to analyze corruption in three countries and offers rigorous, evidence-based recommendations for improving public administration.

Format: Hardback
Length: 168 pages
Publication date: 12 October 2021
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Transparency measures alone are not enough to combat corruption effectively. They must be coupled with robust enforcement to be truly impactful. The levels of corruption vary significantly across the world, with certain regions experiencing it more severely than others. Understanding why corruption is pervasive in some countries, how it undermines critical regulations, and the challenges involved in eradicating it is crucial.

In his book "The Eye and the Whip," Paul Lagunes employs field experiments to examine corruption in three countries: Mexico, Peru, and the United States of America. He emphasizes that vulnerabilities to corruption arise when government officials possess power over the provision of goods and the imposition of costs. These vulnerabilities can transform into actual threats when officials calculate that the benefits of abusing their power outweigh the consequences of getting caught. Therefore, controlling corruption necessitates enhancing the probability of detecting malfeasance through enhanced monitoring, referred to as the "eye," and subsequently imposing appropriate penalties in response to wrongdoing, known as the "whip."

However, in the places where Lagunes conducts extensive fieldwork, including a city in central Mexico, urban districts in Peru, and two boroughs in New York City, the common policy response to corruption typically focuses solely on the first mechanism, enhancing monitoring. This approach often leads to the persistence of corruption, encompassing practices such as bribery extracted for public works contracts and property tax evasion. Corruption in these and other areas will continue as long as the authorities remain reluctant to impose severe penalties after becoming aware of the problem.

To address this issue, Lagunes leverages local collaborations to test a series of approaches aimed at promoting accountability. He offers rigorous, evidence-based recommendations for improving transparency, strengthening governance, and combating corruption. These recommendations include measures such as implementing anti-corruption agencies, enhancing whistleblower protection, improving access to information, and promoting ethical conduct among public officials.

By combining transparency measures with enforcement, countries can work towards creating a more accountable and corruption-free environment. It is essential to recognize that eradicating corruption is a complex and ongoing process that requires sustained efforts and commitment from all stakeholders. Only by addressing the root causes of corruption and implementing effective policies can we hope to achieve a world where corruption is no longer a hindrance to social and economic development.

Weight: 394g
Dimension: 162 x 244 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197577622