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More members of Congress have been investigated and sanctioned for ethical misconduct in the past decade and a half than in the entire previous history of the institution. But individual members are probably less corrupt than they once were. Stricter ethics codes and closer scrutiny by the press and public have imposed standards no previous representatives have had to face. Dennis Thompson shows how the institution itself is posing new ethical challenges, how the complexity of the environment in which members work creates new occasions for corruption and invites more calls for accountability.

Instead of the individual corruption that has long been the center of attention, Thompson focuses on institutional corruption which refers to conduct that under certain conditions is an acceptable part of the job of a representative. Members are required to solicit campaign contributions, and they are expected to help constituents with their problems with government, but some ways of doing these jobs give rise to institutional corruption. The author moves the discussion beyond bribery, extortion, and simple personal gain to delve into implicit understandings, ambiguous favors, and political advantage.

Thompson examines many major ethics cases of recent years. Among them: the case of David Durenberger, accused of supplementing his income through book promotions; the case of the Keating Five, accused of using undue influence with the Federal Home Loan Bank Board on behalf of Lincoln Savings and Loan owner Charles Keating; and the case of House Speaker James Wright, accused of several offenses.

Thompson shows why neither the electoral process nor the judicial process is sufficient and argues for stronger ethics committees and the creation of a new quasi-independent body to take over some of the enforcement process. He offers more than a dozen recommendations for changes in the procedures and practices of ethics in Congress.

The book features a listing of ethics charges, classified by type of corruption, considered by Congress from 1789 to 1992.

Selected by Choice as an Outstanding Book of 1995

Tabla de contenidos provista por Syndetics

• Preface(p. xi)
• Introduction(p. 1)
• 1. Purposes of Legislative Ethics(p. 10)
• Personal Ethics and Legislative Ethics(p. 11)
• The Priority of Legislative Ethics(p. 16)
• The Scope of Legislative Ethics(p. 18)
• Principles of Legislative Ethics(p. 19)
• Legislative Ethics and Institutional Corruption(p. 24)
• 2. Dynamics of Legislative Corruption(p. 26)
• The Elements of Corruption(p. 28)
• The Individual Corruption of David Durenberger(p. 34)
• The Institutional Corruption of the Keating Five(p. 37)
• The Diverse Corruptions of James C. Wright, Jr.(p. 43)
• 3. Gains of Office(p. 49)
• The Legitimacy of Personal Gain(p. 49)
• General Offenses(p. 52)
• Conflicts of Interest(p. 55)
• Perquisites of Office(p. 60)
• The Imperatives of Political Gain(p. 65)
• Ambition and Independence(p. 69)
• Fairness to Colleagues, Challengers, and Congress(p. 72)
• 4. Services of Office(p. 77)
• Undeserved Service(p. 78)
• Favoritism(p. 80)
• Institutional Consequences of Constituent Service(p. 84)
• Limitations of Legal Standards(p. 88)
• Limitations of Ethical Standards(p. 90)
• Toward Stronger Standards(p. 93)
• 5. Corrupt Connections(p. 102)
• Corrupt Motives(p. 103)
• Mixed Motives(p. 108)
• Short-Circuiting the Democratic Process(p. 113)
• The Root of Some Evil(p. 115)
• The Importance of Appearances(p. 124)
• 6. Tribunals of Legislative Ethics(p. 131)
• The Deficiencies of Self-Discipline(p. 132)
• Letting Voters Decide(p. 137)
• Letting Courts Decide(p. 143)
• Strengthening the Ethics Committees(p. 147)
• Conclusion(p. 166)
• Appendix Charges of Ethics Violations Considered by Congress, 1789-1992(p. 182)
• Notes(p. 191)
• Index(p. 239)

Reseñas proporcionadas por Syndetics

CHOICE Review

This important book on a timeless topic should be added to every serious political library. The author (political philosophy, Harvard) provides a thorough treatment of the issue while also breaking important ground. He includes chapters on the purposes of legislative ethics, dynamics of legislative corruption, gains in office, services in office, motives for corruption, and arenas for resolving allegations of ethical violations. Thompson supports his points by citing recent allegations of ethical violations, such as those surrounding the Keating Five and former House Speaker Jim Wright. Although the book is noteworthy for its thoroughness, its most important contribution is probably Thompson's concept of institutional corruption. In contrast with the more common individual corruption, institutional corruption involves instances in which members gain by improper political methods and provide procedurally improper services. The connection between improper gain and services provided damages either the institution as a whole or the entire democratic process. Overall, Thompson reveals an institution that has been neither as corrupt as public opinion believes nor as ethically sound as the country needs. Highly recommended for undergraduate, graduate, and public libraries. R. E. Dewhirst Northwest Missouri State University

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Dennis F. Thompson is the Alfred North Whitehead Professor of Political Philosophy and director of the Program in Ethics and the Professions at Harvard University