Topic Guide: Undue Influence

Preventing Regulatory Capture: Special Interest Influence and How to Limit it. Carpenter, D., and Moss, D., 2013. Cambridge University Press.  

This edited volume brings together 17 scholars from across the social sciences to address the question of regulatory capture and ways to fight it. It argues that capture is often misdiagnosed and may in fact be preventable and manageable. Focusing on the goal of prevention, the volume advances rigorous and empirical standards for diagnosing and measuring capture that are intended to pave the way forward for new lines of academic inquiry and more precise proposals for reform.  

Strategies to Combat State Capture and Administrative Corruption in Transition Economies. Hellman, J., 2011. Background Paper Prepared for the Conference: “Economic Reform and Good Governance: Fighting Corruption in Transition Economies”. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWBIGOVANTCOR/Resources/1740479-1149112210081/2604389-1149274062067/2613434-1149276254021/quinghua_paper_hellman.pdf  

The paper discusses the two distinct phenomena of state capture and administrative corruption. The phenomenon of corruption is seen through the lens of political economy as a product of structural distortions in the market for influence. Based on this analysis, a series of practical policy recommendations, and concrete tools to implement them, are put forward to curb these phenomena. These recommendations include increasing competition in the market for influence, reforming the policymaking process and strengthening regulation and monitoring of political financing.  

Lobbyists, Government and Public Trust: Promoting Integrity through Legislation. OECD, 2009. www.oecd.org/officialdocuments...  

This report aims to contribute to the policy debate in countries that are considering establishing regulation on lobbying. It outlines a general framework for legislation or government regulation on lobbying in the interest of good governance, transparency and accountability, based on OECD member state experiences. It provides general guidance for efforts at national level but notes that this general guideline can be extended to the sub-national level. A wide range of issues are discussed, including appropriate socio-political standards and rules; legislative frameworks; disclosure regulation; enforceable standards of conduct; and strategies and practices for compliance. The final chapters address experiences in regulating lobbying and undue influence at the national level in Canada and Poland, and at the sub-national level in the Canadian province of Québec.