Cloth $80.00 ISBN: 9780226729565 Published September 2011
Paper $27.50 ISBN: 9780226729572 Published September 2011
E-book $7.00 to $27.50 About E-books ISBN: 9780226729589 Published July 2011

Instructors

Librarians

Book Reviewers/Marketers:

Rights, Permissions & Translations

The Quality of Government

Corruption, Social Trust, and Inequality in International Perspective

Bo Rothstein

The Quality of Government
Bookmark and Share

Bo Rothstein

304 pages | 14 halftones, 2 line drawings, 14 tables | 6 x 9 | © 2011
Cloth $80.00 ISBN: 9780226729565 Published September 2011
Paper $27.50 ISBN: 9780226729572 Published September 2011
E-book $7.00 to $27.50 About E-books ISBN: 9780226729589 Published July 2011
The relationship between government, virtue, and wealth has held a special fascination since Aristotle, and the importance of each frames policy debates today in both developed and developing countries. While it’s clear that low-quality government institutions have tremendous negative effects on the health and wealth of societies, the criteria for good governance remain far from clear.
 
In this pathbreaking book, leading political scientist Bo Rothstein provides a theoretical foundation for empirical analysis on the connection between the quality of government and important economic, political, and social outcomes. Focusing on the effects of government policies, he argues that unpredictable actions constitute a severe impediment to economic growth and development—and that a basic characteristic of quality government is impartiality in the exercise of power. This is borne out by cross-sectional analyses, experimental studies, and in-depth historical investigations. Timely and topical, The Quality of Government tackles such issues as political legitimacy, social capital, and corruption.

“Rothstein makes a convincing case that government corruption reduces social trust, which in turn leads to less productive social-political economies and more inequality. Recognizing the full causal chain is essential to achieving success in efforts to improve the welfare of the poor living in corrupt countries. Rothstein’s book should be read by all concerned with development inequities.”—Elinor Ostrom, Indiana University, winner of the 2009 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences



 “Bo Rothstein asks what high-quality government can and should be, and gives us multiple reasons to care about the answers he proposes. The Quality of Government is a theoretically sophisticated and imaginative discussion of issues that have needed a fresh look for some time.”—Michael Johnston, Colgate University

 



 “This is social science at its best. Ranging widely over the literatures in political science, sociology, economics, and many other fields, Bo Rothstein sheds light on why some governments work better and instill more trust than others—and provides much practical policy advice on the side.”—Dani Rodrik, Harvard University

 



“Bo Rothstein cogently and profoundly analyzes governments through dysfunctional institutions, providing readers with a look into the complex and disturbing world of failed states, corruption, clientelism, patronage, civil war, and discrimination. This work applies serious depth to the crucial issues of governance and proper state functioning.”—Choice



Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments

 

1  What Is Quality of Government?

2  Quality of Government: What You Get

3  Corruption: The Killing Fields

4  Creating Political Legitimacy: Representative Democracy versus Quality of Government

5  Curbing Corruption: The Indirect "Big Bang" Approach

6  Quality of Government and the Welfare State

7  The Low Trust–Corruption–Inequality Trap

8  Quality of Government and Social Trust: Two Experiments

9  The Tale of Two Countries: Democratic Jamaica versus High Quality of Government Singapore

10  Preventing Societies from Self-Destructing

 

References

Index

For more information, or to order this book, please visit http://www.press.uchicago.edu
Google preview here

Political Science: Comparative Politics | Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, and International Relations

Sociology: Individual, State and Society

You may purchase this title at these fine bookstores. Outside the USA, see our international sales information.

Chicago Manual of Style |

Chicago Blog: Politics and Current Events

Events in Politics and Current Events

Keep Informed

JOURNALs