Fall 2019 Final DFID
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Governance Initiative Review Paper J-PAL Governance Initiative October 2019 This paper was primarily written by Benjamin A. Olken and Rohini Pande, with assistance from Adil Ababou, Alison Fahey, Yuen Ho, Gabriel Tourek, and Eliza Keller. We gratefully acknowledge funding support from DFID, the Hewlett Foundation, and an anonymous donor. The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of DFID, the Hewlett Foundation, or any other third party. Governance Initiative Review Paper Contents 1. What do we mean by governance? ............................................................................................ 5 2. Participation in the political and policy process ........................................................................ 7 2.1. Impacts of participation ......................................................................................................... 7 2.1.1. Impact on policy outcomes................................................................................................... 7 2.1.1.1. Participation as voters .................................................................................................................. 7 2.1.1.2. Participation as leaders ................................................................................................................ 9 2.1.1.3. Participation as community monitors ...........................................................................................11 2.1.1.4. Participation through decentralization .........................................................................................14 2.1.2. Impact on economic growth ............................................................................................... 16 2.1.2.1. Voting ..........................................................................................................................................16 2.1.2.2. Leaders ........................................................................................................................................17 2.1.2.3. Community participation ..............................................................................................................17 2.1.3. Impact on citizen satisfaction ............................................................................................ 17 2.1.3.1. Voting ..........................................................................................................................................17 2.1.3.2. Leaders ........................................................................................................................................18 2.1.3.3. Community participation ..............................................................................................................19 2.2. The determinants of citizen participation ............................................................................ 19 2.2.1. Institutions......................................................................................................................... 19 2.2.1.1. Weak institutions: electoral malpractice and entry barriers ..........................................................19 2.2.1.2. Can policy reduce the impact of weak institutions? .......................................................................21 2.2.1.3. Political parties and participation ................................................................................................22 2.2.2. Demographics .................................................................................................................... 23 2.2.2.1. The role of demographics .............................................................................................................23 2.2.2.2. Clientelism...................................................................................................................................25 2.2.2.3. Can policy reduce the impact of demographics? ...........................................................................27 2.2.2.4. Social networks ............................................................................................................................27 2.2.3. Information ....................................................................................................................... 28 2.2.3.1. The role of information ................................................................................................................28 2.2.3.2. The role of media .........................................................................................................................29 2.2.3.3. Learning about politicians ...........................................................................................................29 2.2.3.4. Policies and participation ............................................................................................................33 2.2.4. Government programs ....................................................................................................... 36 2.2.5. Technology ........................................................................................................................ 36 2.2.5.1. Technologies for monitoring votes ................................................................................................36 2 2.2.5.2. Technologies for voting ................................................................................................................37 2.2.5.3. Technologies for citizen participation ...........................................................................................38 3. Impacts and determinants of leakages .................................................................................... 38 3.1. How large are leakages, really? ........................................................................................... 39 3.1.1. Perceptions ........................................................................................................................ 39 3.1.2. Estimating bribes: Survey evidence ................................................................................... 40 3.1.3. Estimates from direct observation ...................................................................................... 40 3.1.4. Estimating graft: Estimation by subtraction ...................................................................... 41 3.1.5. Estimating other types of leakage from surveys ................................................................. 43 3.1.6. Estimates from market inference ....................................................................................... 44 3.1.7. So how much corruption is there, really? .......................................................................... 45 3.2. Does corruption matter? ...................................................................................................... 46 3.2.1. Macroeconomic impacts .................................................................................................... 47 3.2.2. Impact on firms ................................................................................................................. 47 3.2.3. Impact on government provision of goods and services ..................................................... 49 3.2.3.1. Price effects .................................................................................................................................49 3.2.3.2. Distortions ...................................................................................................................................49 3.2.4. Impact on correcting externalities ..................................................................................... 51 3.2.5. Impact on individuals ........................................................................................................ 53 3.2.6. Concluding thoughts on efficiency .................................................................................... 53 3.3. What determines corruption? .............................................................................................. 54 3.3.1. The incentives that bureaucrats, citizens, and firms face ................................................... 54 3.3.1.1. The bureaucrat’s decision problem: The role of compensation, selection, and other incentives for bureaucrats ..................................................................................................................................................55 3.3.1.2. The market for bribes: Changing the structure of the bureaucracy to harness the forces of competition...................................................................................................................................................56 3.3.1.3. Incentives for citizens and firms ...................................................................................................57 3.3.1.4. Corruption as a bargaining outcome ............................................................................................59 3.3.2. External factors ................................................................................................................. 60 3.3.2.1. Technology ..................................................................................................................................60 3.3.2.2. Transparency ...............................................................................................................................61 3.3.2.3. Judiciary......................................................................................................................................64