CORRUPTION Syndromes of Corruption

4 Influence Markets: influence for rent,
decisions for sale
The value of access
Influence Market corruption revolves around the use of wealth to seek
influence within strong political and administrative institutions – often,
with politicians putting their own access out for rent. In market democracies
many people have interests to pursue and the means with which to do
so, and points of public–private access proliferate. Where institutions are
strong and credible the overwhelming majority of advocacy takes place
within accepted limits, but Influence Market societies also have evolved in
ways accommodating to political and economic elites. This corruption
syndrome thus does not ordinarily threaten the viability of institutions or
the broader system; indeed, to do so would devalue the access at stake.
The stakes are the details of policy – whether a program will be funded, a
contract awarded, a group declared exempt from a tax, or the rules of a
program changed. Private parties do offer bribes and officials practice
extortion, but in most Influence Market countries such actions are the
exception, not the rule, or are confined to specific agencies and decisions.
At times it can be difficult to distinguish legal political contributions and
routine ‘‘constituent service’’ by elected representatives from corrupt dealings,
a fact contributing to market democracies’ favorable scores on indices
that emphasize outright bribery. That does not mean bureaucrats in
Influence Market countries never collude with elected officials and interest
groups.Butitisusuallyeasierandlessriskyforaprivateinteresttocurryfavor
through political donations than to seek out biddable bureaucrats. That
service is part of what a corrupt politician offers. For bureaucrats clearly
illicit deals can be risky; friendships with powerful politicians or the hope
of moving into business in the future may be the preferred path to wealth.
The argument of this chapter is emphatically not that political money is
inherently corrupting: in democracies donations are a legitimate form of
advocacy, and competitive mass campaigns cost money. But even if all
funds flow through legal channels there can still be major corruption
concerns. The perception that abuses are common, and the citizen
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