HKS Authors

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Abstract

Money is essential for electoral politics yet its use and abuse often raises problems of graft, corruption, and cronyism. To throw new light on these challenges, this report addresses three related questions: I. What types of public policies are used around the world to regulate the role of money in politics? This includes (i) public subsidies to political parties, (ii) spending limits, (iii) donor caps, and (iv) transparency requirements. II. What triggers landmark legal reforms in political finance? III. And, ‘what works’, what fails, and why – when countries reform regulations? This publication, drawn from a forthcoming book, provides an executive summary of these issues.

Citation

Norris, Pippa, Andrea Abel Van Es, and Lisa Fennis. "Checkbook Elections: Political Finance in Comparative Perspective." Electoral Integrity Project, July 2015.