Elsevier

Journal of Public Economics

Volume 4, Issue 2, February 1975, Pages 187-203
Journal of Public Economics

The economics of corruption

https://doi.org/10.1016/0047-2727(75)90017-1Get rights and content

Abstract

This paper considers the relationship between market structure and the incidence of corrupt dealings in the government contracting process. Three cases are analyzed. We first deal with a situation in which government preferences are well-defined and many firms compete for the contract; we then contrast this case with one in which government preferences are ‘vague’ and finally eliminate the competitive assumption to consider the case of bilateral monopoly. It is then possible to consider the extent to which various criminal sanctions will deter corruption and the degree to which criminal incentives can be reduced by revising contracting procedures and reorganizing market structures.

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The author wishes to thank Robert Inman, Robert Pollak and the referees of this journal for helpful suggestions. Kent Bernard provided the requisite legal research.

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